


A Week with the Brewers

by agoodpersonrose



Series: An Unexpected Series [3]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: And David loves Patrick, And the Brewers love David, Anxiety, Fluff, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, I just love the Brewers, Light Angst, M/M, Meet the Family, Minor Injuries, Non-Graphic Smut, Road Trips, Romance, a lot of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24148723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agoodpersonrose/pseuds/agoodpersonrose
Summary: Set after an Unexpected Arrival.Patrick and David take a week off from the store to visit the Brewers and Patrick's family home.
Relationships: Clint Brewer/Marcy Brewer, Marcy Brewer & David Rose, Patrick Brewer & Rachel, Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: An Unexpected Series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715065
Comments: 57
Kudos: 294





	1. Monday

“Okay, did you remember the gift bag for your mom?” David asks, holding his hands out in front of him urgently and looking around for the third time that morning.

“Yes, it’s in the back.” Patrick responds calmly, unable to prevent himself from smiling as his boyfriend flutters around the car, checking and re-checking that everything is packed for their trip.

After his parents had visited a few months before, Patrick had eventually found a place to live outside of Ray’s house. They had moved his things in slowly, and he was starting to feel at home in his new apartment even despite the small miscommunication that had taken place over David’s place in the arrangement.

They had settled into a nice routine, David staying at his most nights unless there was an event that required him at the motel, or an evening spent with Stevie. David had filled two drawers with his things and the shelf in the bathroom contained his moisturisers and cleaners, and his toothbrush. They were comfortable, and Patrick loved having him around so much that he had even started regretting correcting him when David assumed that they would be living together, wishing that he’d gone along with it and could truly share the space with David fully.

But it was his name on the lease, so it was his apartment, and he was incredibly proud and excited to, for the first time in his life, own a place that was just his.

Several weeks after moving in, David and Patrick had finally found a week where they could justify closing the store. It’s late June, and they aren’t intending on taking a holiday anywhere, so they decided that a week off could be justified as a short summer vacation.

It was agreed that none of the Rose family, nor Stevie could be trusted to watch the store for that long. They all either had their own commitments that they needed to focus on or were simply incapable of handling the complicated process of owning a store. So instead, they organised online orders to be sent out in advance and communicated with the vendors and the regular customers to inform them that they wouldn’t be open for the next week and packed up to spend a week in Patrick’s hometown.

Despite some nerves, Patrick has made it clear to David in the weeks coming up to the trip that he’s excited to see his parents, and excited to show David where he grew up. They have a hectic week planned, and David makes sure to be very supportive of everything Patrick wants to do, unwilling to be the reluctant boyfriend who ruins Patrick’s first trip home in a year and a half.

They throw the last few bags in the back of the car, preparing for the five-and-a-half-hour-long journey to the small town of Waterford, Ontario.

“So, what’s the plan for when we arrive?” David asks, for the third time.

“We’ve been over this already, David.” Patrick replies, maintaining his patience as he slips into the driver’s seat, David settling next to him and pulling at his sweater sleeves. “We won’t get there until late afternoon, so we will just be having dinner and catching up with my parents.”

“Okay- _okay._ ” David replies, still looking anxious.

Patrick takes a moment before he turns the engine on to turn back to David. “You’re gonna be fine, David. They’ve already met you and they already love you.”

“Okay, and if they don’t--”

“They will. But if they don’t it will in no way change how I feel about you, or what we have. I love you, David. I don’t care what anyone else says.”

“But they’re your parents Patrick!” David whines, shifting around in his seat.

Patrick sighs, reaching both hands out to cup David’s face. “This week is going to go just fine. You said you would be okay with this and we’ve already planned everything. If anything, I’m going to be the one under pressure after disappearing and reappearing out of nowhere with a surprise boyfriend and business.”

“Hmm, and there won’t be any resentment--”

“David.” Patrick says in his firm voice that never fails to make him stop in his tracks. “Please will you trust me with this? I promise you; you have nothing to worry about.”

“Okay.” David sighs, leaning in for a firm and grounding kiss before leaning back against the car door and watching Patrick turn the key.

“Are you going to watch me the entire time we’re driving?” Patrick asks, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Probably.” David admits, “Maybe I’ll take a nap before my shift though.”

“Okay, David.” Patrick says, chuckling and turning to look out the back window as they reverse out the parking spot outside the apartment.

***

The first hour of driving is easy enough. David falls asleep almost as soon as they pass Elmdale, head tilted up and mouth dropped open unattractively. Patrick lets him sleep in silence, aware of the insomnia he had been experiencing the night before, and he leaves the radio off to ensure his boyfriend is left in peace.

They’re just approaching a service station when David jerks awake again.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Patrick teases, glancing over.

“Cute.” David says, rolling his eyes and discreetly rubbing away the drool around his mouth. “Can we stop here?”

“Sure,” Patrick responds, switching the indicator to come off at the next exit. “I should probably fill up here anyway. Do you want to go in and get something for lunch?”

David immediately perks up and nods, jetting out of Patrick’s car and rushing over to the store. He emerges a few moments later with a plastic bag swinging from his hand.

“Did you get anything good?” Patrick asks from where he is pumping the gas.

David opens the bag to reveal two sandwiches in clear plastic, a couple of packets of chips, and water. He also pulls out a bag of peanut M&Ms from the bottom of the bag and hands them to Patrick.

“I don’t know how you can eat these.” David says rolling his eyes as Patrick takes them eagerly. “But I figured you’d want them.”

“That’s very kind of you David.” Patrick replies, putting the nozzle away and pulling out his wallet to pay. “You’re very generous and loving, and I’m lucky to have you”

David bats off the compliments but looks pleased, nevertheless.

“Mhm, you’re very lucky.” David says, “I’ll even take over the driving for a little while if you’d like a break.”

“Really?”

“Sure, why not?” David sighs, waving his hand around and smirking, before heading for the driver’s seat and slipping in, passing Patrick the bag to put at his feet. He hands him his phone, with the request to play some music from his Spotify.

***

The next time they stop, it’s just past one in the afternoon. They’re not making as good progress as Patrick had hoped, and they are still just about half-way there.

David pulls up to a small rest point. It’s just a small parking lot, with some picnic benches lining the road, but David is desperate for a break and some food to tide him over for the rest of the drive.

The clamber out of the car, Patrick pauses by his door and reaches out a hand for David to take as they walk towards the seating area. They climb over one side of the bench and sit next to each other, placing the sandwiches in front of them on the wood of the picnic table.

Almost by reflex, Patrick opens both of them, pulling one sandwich out from the packets and switching them so they have half a sandwich each.

David nods in thanks and takes a bite of the BLT, moaning in satisfaction. He looks up to see Patrick chuckling at him fondly. “What?” He exclaims.

“Nothing.” Patrick replies, quickly taking a large bite of his own sandwich, eyes never leaving the man beside him.

They finish the sandwiches quickly. After finishing his, David leans against Patrick, who wraps his arm around his shoulders and responds the embrace fondly.

David sighs lightly, leaning his head up to feel the sunshine sinking into his skin.

“This is nice.” He mutters, muscles relaxing even further as Patrick runs his hand up and down David’s arm. “How long have we got left?” He asks.

“Not long I don’t think, this is probably the half-way point. Do you want me to take over again?”

David considers it for a moment before nodding. Despite enjoying the distraction of driving, he is also bone tired and sedated after their rest and would probably appreciate some time off.

“Can we stay a few more minutes though?”

“Sure, David.” Patrick replies, snuggling in even closer, after looking around to look around the empty park benches, except for a family of two sat several seats across.

A mom and dad are sat across the table from each other, smiling, and placing food in front of their two children, perhaps ages seven or eight. It’s a sweet sight but not one either of them envy, instead basking in the time together outside of Schitt’s Creek, and showing affection where it’s sure that their parents, or Ray, or Roland will not be able to interrupt.

“Okay, we can go.” David says after a few more moments.

They climb out from the bench and head towards the car, hands clasped together again until they are forced to separate to slip into the car.

Even then, David seems to lean towards Patrick as they set off and re-join the road. Not so much as to disrupt the drive, but enough to suggest that he’s trying to be as close to Patrick as he can be.

They put on the music again, and the sounds of Tina Turner and Whitney Houston fill the car as they drive.

***

David jumps awake as they come off the main road and start driving down domestic streets of Waterford. The streets are wide and lined with a number of large trees, providing a sort of canopy from the sun. It’s idyllic in a way David had not been expecting, but at the same time matches exactly the sort of town he had imagined Patrick coming from.

“Hey,” Patrick says softly, looking over as smiling with closed-lips. “We’re about ten minutes away.”

David nods, steeling himself by breathing deeply and twitching his fingers. “Okay, okay, that’s good. Did we definitely remember the gift basket?”

“Yes, David.”

“Mhm.”

David looks out the window for the rest of the ride, taking in the houses as they pass. There are a range of brick and wooden houses lining the streets, all more comforting than the last, and David can imagine a young Patrick on his bike, being taught how to ride by his Dad down these streets, or on a night in October, dressed up as a pirate or something equally as adorable as he goes house-to-house, trick-or-treating.

It’s perfect, and it just makes the anxiety in his stomach increase.

“You okay?” Patrick murmurs, watching his facial expressions out of the corner of his eyes.

“Mhm, I just. This is- this is a lot.” David replies, “I’m fine though. I’m- I’m happy to be here. With you.”

Patrick just reaches a hand-out across the console silently, gripping David’s fist and forcing him to loosen his fingers, before pulling it to his mouth and pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

They pull up to a red brick house, on the corner of a street. It has a white painted, wrap-around porch with a bench placed outside the front door. A red car sits in the drive next to where Patrick parks, and David can see the front door opening as he puts the car in park.

“You ready?” Patrick asks, looking over at David one last time.

David nods, and pulls his hand away to open the door.

Marcy and Clint Brewer approach the car slowly, as if sensing David’s apprehension. Patrick goes straight over to them and wraps his Mom in a hug.

“Hello, my sweet boy.” Marcy coos, pulling away and cupping her son’s face in her hands. “You look well.”

Patrick shakes her off, looking fond and turns to his Dad, who he hugs quickly, before pulling away and turning back to the car, where David is struggling to pull a case out of the trunk quietly.

“David, let me help with that.” Patrick says, in a firm tone, approaching him and batting him away from the luggage.

David looks torn between insisting to continue, and being polite in front of his boyfriend’s parents, but Marcy prevents him from hesitating too long by reaching out with her arms and pulling him into a loose hug.

“Come inside with me, David.” She says, her tone matching that of her son’s as she leads him up the steps towards the front door. “You must be exhausted from the journey, let them bring in the bags.”

“Oh,” David says, turning back to look at Patrick who nods at him encouragingly, “I don’t mind helping.”

Marcy just makes a ‘tsk’ noise and leads him through the fence and into the house.

The house is exactly what David had imagined and so much more. The hallway is lined with pale yellow and white flowered wallpaper. A number of family photos cover the walls which David doesn’t have a chance to get a good look at as he is lead down past the stairs to the kitchen at the back of the house.

It’s lined in white cabinets in a rustic style aesthetic which David can appreciate and also be slightly disgusted by at the same time.

“Now, why don’t you take a seat at the table whilst I get you a drink.” Marcy says, pushing David towards a small, round, wooden breakfast table.

David follows her instruction, looking at the table in interest as the image of a young Patrick doing homework in this very seat fills his mind.

Marcy returns after a moment with a glass of water and ice in one hand and sits in the chair next to David.

“Here you go.” She says, placing it in front of him.

“Thank you.” David replies, taking a long drink of it and looking around the room with interest.

Their peace is almost immediately shattered by the sounds of Patrick and Clint lugging the bags in. They clatter up the stairs and David takes careful note of the sound travelling through the thin walls and ceiling for later notice.

He winces, turning to Marcy, “I think that might be my bag.” He says, looking guilty.

Marcy just laughs fondly. “Yes, I assumed that. Patrick always has been the sort to pack one overnight bag for a week-long trip.”

“Mhm, we’re big on compromising now, so I made him bring enough for a clean outfit a day plus a spare one for emergencies which he did, as long as I only brought one case.”

Marcy looks softly at him as he talks, “That’s very impressive, David. It definitely is important to compromise in relationships.” She says, raising her glass as if to cheers it.

Clint enters a moment later, taking the glass carefully from his wife’s hand and taking a sip of his own. Marcy doesn’t react, just rolls her eyes and lets him do it, as he turns to David.

“Patrick is upstairs unpacking.” He says, gesturing, “It’s the first door on the right if you wanted to go and have a look at where you’re sleeping.”

“Thank you.” David mumbles, walking slowly out of the door and wandering up the stairs, taking interest in the framed pictures lining the walls this time.

One that draws his attention is a picture of Patrick in a yellow raincoat. He is maybe six or seven in the photo, with red welly-boots and a clear umbrella held over his head.

“That’s from when I ran away from home.” Patrick says from the top of the stairs, making David jump. “I was just coming to look for you.”

“Hmm, why did you run away?” David asks, looking back at the picture.

“I don’t remember. I think I was upset that I wasn’t getting enough attention. So of course, as soon as my Mom got the camera out to take pictures of me, I decided to stay.”

“Ahh,” David says, crossing his arms and nodding as he peers at the image. “I did the same thing once. My Nanny, Adelina, had to come and collect me to stop me from getting my Gucci boots muddy.”

“Hmm, see, our childhoods weren’t that different really.” Patrick mumbles, hugging David from behind and peering at the picture over his shoulder.

From anyone else, David would think the words were sarcastic, but there’s nothing in Patrick’s voice that suggests anything but genuine affection.

He sighs contently, before turning around and pushing Patrick up the stairs towards the bedroom.

“Come on, I’ll help you unpack.”

Patrick lets himself be pushed but when they arrive in the bedroom, David can see his sweaters already folded neatly in the drawers, and the empty suitcases zipped up and placed behind the door.

He takes a minute to look at the room. When he first accepted the invitation to visit he was looking forward to getting a look into Patrick’s childhood bedroom, only to discover that he had re-done it in his late-teenaged years, and all that was left was a guest room.

A double bed sits in the centre, with a brown plaid patterned duvet set on it. A lamp sits on one side and a small table on the other. There is a large wardrobe to the right of the door and a chest of drawers stood next to it.

The only thing that distinguishes it from a guest bedroom is the small shelf on the other side of the bed, next to the window which looks out onto the backyard. It’s stacked with several awards and statues, from various sports and musical competitions that Patrick must have taken part in in his childhood.

“Are they all yours?” David asks, looking delighted when Patrick nods hesitantly.

“Some of them are just participation awards, but some of them are real. I won our school talent competition with an original song.” He says, pointing out a bronze award in the shape of a treble clef.

“Hmm, that’s very sexy of you.” David says with a laugh.

“Oh yeah?” Patrick asks, approaching his boyfriend with his head tipped to the side. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

“Oh, so it wasn’t a coincidence that you snuck me into your room to unpack even though you’ve already done it all?”

“Mhm, all a part of my master plan to seduce you, David.” Patrick responds, brushing a hand up David’s arm towards his shoulder and leaning his face up for a kiss. David accepts it but pulls back before it can become anything more than a peck.

Patrick moans, and tries to lean back in, but David holds a hand up.

“Your parents are literally right below us waiting for us to come down for dinner.” He says, looking scandalised.

“Yeah, I know, you’re right.” Patrick sighs, looking disappointed.

David moves in to place his hands on his shoulders and gives him another soft kiss before pulling back.

“Come on,” he says, grabbing Patrick’s hand and pulling him out the door and down the stairs. “You said your Mom was making lasagne.” 


	2. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Patrick spend a day out with the Brewers, and have a realisation about their families.

It’s decidedly strange waking up in Patrick’s childhood house. David reaches out to where Patrick would usually be lying and makes an offended groan when instead of finding the warm body of his boyfriend, his hands find the cool air of outside the duvet.

He panics for a moment, still trapped somewhere between being asleep and awake, and franticly patting the bed to his right as if Patrick will somehow appear in his designated spot.

Instead, he hears a small laugh from his left side, and a hand slips around his waist. He immediately calms down and turns to tuck himself into Patrick’s side, rubbings his face into his neck and making a satisfied noise.

“Why are you on my side?” He mumbles as his brain speeds up and everything comes into better focus.

“Mm, you said it was incorrect to sleep on the side of the door in case my parents walk in.” Patrick responds, voice thick and still with his eyes closed and arms wrapped around David.

“Oh,” David sighs, nodding slightly as he remembers the conversation. “I don’t like it.” He says after a couple more moments.

“Okay, David.”

They lie together for a few more minutes before Patrick sighs and reaches his hand out to the bedside table to grab David’s phone.

“We should get up.” He says, poking David’s side teasingly.

“No,” David moans, “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not leaving, David. We both need to get up.” He says, propping himself up on his elbows and leaning over to plant a kiss on his lips.

He lets himself get distracted for a few moments more in lazy kisses and warm skin. This time, it’s David that stops it.

“Mhm, if we keep going, we’re going to end up doing something really incorrect.” He says, firmly placing a hand on Patrick’s chest and pushing him enough so that he can sit up.

“Oh yeah, and what’s that?” Patrick whispers, placing his lips to David’s shoulder instead and switching between soft butterfly kisses and little nips.

“Patrick, we are not having sex in your parents’ house!” David hisses, looking scandalised.

“What?” Patrick exclaims, with equal shock clear in his tone, sitting back fully to look David in the eye. “Why wouldn’t we-- We’re here all week? You really think we’re not going to--”

“Obviously not! That would be- This is a small house; your parents can probably hear us every time we turn over in the bed no matter about--”

“David,” Patrick says, laughing incredulously. “My parents are well aware that we’re having sex. They saw the hickey I gave you when they visited, they will have worked it out. They aren’t going to care.”

“Even so, it’s just a week, we’ve gone that long before - remember when you had that migraine and we didn’t do anything for nearly five days? I just don’t think it’s a good first impression,” David whines, pouting at him pathetically, “especially knowing how loud you can be.”

“Oh, I’m loud, am I?” Patrick asks, smiling cheekily and leaning forward again, “How about you prove it?”

“Nope, nope, absolutely not.” David says, putting his hands up to stop Patrick’s advance and jumping out of the bed. “I’m going for a shower. The door will be locked so don’t even try.” He says, pointing at his boyfriend where he is sat spread legged under the covers of the bed, looking amused and flushed all at once. “You can go after me and then we can go downstairs and have breakfast, with your parents, knowing full well that they won’t have heard anything that might scar them for life.”

He leaves before Patrick can respond, grabbing his clothes, and his toiletries from the dresser before he closes the door behind him.

He has an incredibly quick shower; too embarrassed to take any longer than necessary, lathering up Rose Apothecary body wash and doing a stunted version of his facial routine before moving back to the bedroom to fix his hair.

Patrick passes him as he leaves, brushing his hip teasingly with his fingertips as he heads towards the bathroom and winking over his shoulder at David, who just rolls his eyes and places his pyjamas in the bedroom.

Patrick is back out of the shower before he is finished the last touches to his hair and face, wrapping his arms around David’s waist from behind and kissing his shoulder.

“Ready to go down?” He asks, catching eye contact in the mirror over the dresser.

“Mhm.”

They go down the stairs with their hands clasped together and Patrick leads them into the empty kitchen, looking around in confusion.

“Huh,” He says, approaching the counter, where a piece of notebook paper is laid out.

_Gone to the shops. Will be back in about an hour. There’s coffee in the pot._

Patrick turns to David who is already pouting and pulls him in by the hips to kiss and bite at his bottom lip.

“Maybe we still have time to--”

He is cut off by the sound of the front door opening and Marcy and Clint bustling in.

“Morning, boys!” Marcy says, as Patrick groans and turns to face them, a fake smile plastered on his face. She is placing her Rose Apothecary tote bag on the table and immediately begins to pull groceries out of it. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm, really well thanks.” David replies, looking anxious again but smiling politely. Patrick places a grounding hand on his lower back before letting go to make their drinks.

“We’re got some pastries for breakfast.” Clint adds, pulling a paper bag out and some plates from one of the top cabinets. “And there’s fruit and yoghurt in the fridge if you’d like some of that, David?”

“Oh, no, um, pastries sound lovely.” David responds, hesitating a bit, unsure whether or not he should be helping or getting out of the way.

“We can unpack the rest of this after breakfast.” Marcy says, seeming to sense David’s discomfort, grabbing the plates and leading him towards the table.

The four of them sit down and dig in. Patrick places a coffee in front of David, who looks up with fond eyes as he sips it, and there is casual chatter about the week ahead.

“We thought it might be nice to go to the gardens at Whistling for today.” Clint says, drinking his tea casually.

David nods eagerly and looks excited.

“Will there be cherry blossoms?” Patrick asks, looking between his boyfriend and his parents with an amused expression on his face.

“Oh, I don’t think so dear. There will be lots of flowers though. There’s an orchard and a hedge maze, and we can have some food or drink at the café in the afternoon.”

“What do you think, boys?”

“That sounds lovely Mr and Mrs Brewer.” David says.

They don’t correct him but smile at him fondly as he looks back down at his plate and takes a bite of his croissant.

***

Whistling Gardens turns out to be an almost two-hour drive, but they decide it’s worth the trip. They all clamber into Patrick’s car, with David in the passenger seat and the Brewer’s in the back.

Marcy leans forward after a while and turns to David. “So, David. How is your family, are they all well? They all seemed so lovely at the barbecue when we visited.”

David hums, turning around to face Marcy better. “They’re all doing well thank you. My Dad is working on renovations at the motel with Stevie. I think they’ll be looking to branch out to other areas soon hopefully.”

“Oh really,” Clint says, joining the conversation. “Your Dad sure did seem to know what he was talking about when we spoke. That’s quite an exciting new step!”

“Mhm, they’re really excited about it, I think. It also means that we’ll be able to sell our products to different motels if they do, maybe spread around the brand of the store a bit. I was hoping at some point to open a second branch in _Elmdale_ maybe, but Patrick isn’t convinced.”

“I just, um, I think we should be saving that money for- other things.” Patrick says awkwardly, blushing slightly as he focuses his attention on the road ahead.

“The store is still doing well then, I gather?”

“Yes, yes really well actually. We got the bathroom re-done the other week actually.” Patrick laughs and shakes his head as David looks at him teasingly. “It might have been easier if Patrick hadn’t aggravated Ronnie- she was the one re-doing it.”

“Oh yes.” Marcy coos, looking over at her son. “Is this the woman that’s not a fan of--”

“It’s not that she’s not a _fan_. We just have had a couple of disagreements.” Patrick butts in, pouting slightly in response.

The pout fades into a soft smile as David reaches across the console and places a hand on his thigh, rubbing it comfortingly. Patrick places his hand on top of the one on his leg and squeezes it in response before putting it back on the wheel.

When David looks back around, Marcy is smiling at him fondly, but she quickly carries on the conversation.

“You know, we were looking to re-do our bathroom at home.” She says, “You’ll have to give us some designing tips before you leave.”

David beams at the compliment and wiggles happily in his seat. “Sure,” he says, aiming to sound nonchalant. “I mean, if you’d like.”

They arrive at the gardens and climb out of the car; all stretching their backs and shoulders out from the extended time sitting before heading for the entrance.

It’s almost empty at the gardens, and as it’s free to go in, they head straight through. David trails behind a little, unsure of the etiquette of affection in front of parents, but Patrick notices and drops back to join him, holding out a hand for him expectantly.

“Come on, David.” He says tugging at his arm playfully when David takes his hand, “We should go and find this maze.”

The Brewers laugh as they watch their son pull his boyfriend quickly to the left, following the signs for the bush maze and causing David to giggle.

“Are you coming, Marcy?” Clint asks as his wife slows her walk to a casual stroll.

“Mhm, yes of course, I just thought we should give them some time to get ahead.” She replies, linking their arms together and stroking his jacket softly. “Besides, I want to take in the lovely views and not be dragged through them willy-nilly.”

Clint laughs in response and slows his own walk to accommodate for her.

Ahead, David and Patrick reach the entrance to the maze and look at it curiously. There are three ways to go from the start.

“We should go different ways.” Patrick says, smiling gleefully like a child and turning to see David wincing. “Oh, come on, I won’t let you get lost.” He says, wrapping his arms around his waist and tugging at him softly.

David rolls his eyes, “I wasn’t worried about that. I just know how competitive you can get, and I wouldn’t want you to get upset if I beat you to the centre.”

“Ooh, sure.” Patrick laughs in response, “So you don’t mind splitting up then.”

“Well, I mean, if that’s what you want to do.” David replies, still looking cautiously at the three paths as if checking for danger.

“You go that way and I’ll go down here.” Patrick says, heading to the entrance which curves to the right and pushing David towards the left. He hesitates, waiting for approval from his boyfriend, who nods finally and turns to follow the path that Patrick had stated.

He walks slowly, the shadows providing cover from the sun and keeping him cool in his Diesel sweatshirt with lace up detail on the arms. Patrick in contrast, had decided to wear a fitted white t-shirt due to the weather, and laughed at David when he had packed a spare black cardigan into his day bag on the insistence that Patrick would get hold.

 _“I run hot, David. You know that.”_ Patrick had said with a wink, but David had packed it anyway.

He strolls along the path, careful not to trip up on any loose roots sticking out of the ground and turns left at the next corner. He follows a similar pattern for a while longer, listening to the sound of Patrick’s feet growing closer and further away as he follows his own pattern.

“Race you, David!” Patrick shouts from somewhere, making David laugh and speed up, not running but walking quickly. He passes a right turn which he doesn’t take and hears footsteps coming from it quickly.

He is just breaking into an awkward run when some arms catch him, coming around his waist and lifting him barely off the ground before putting him back down again. David breaks into pleased laughter as he turns around in Patrick’s arms and matches his expression.

“Got you.” Patrick whispers, tightening his arms slightly and pulling David in so they are chest to chest.

“Hmm, and what are you going to do with me now?” David asks, resting his arms lightly on Patrick’s shoulders and smiling placatingly.

“I’ve got a few ideas.” He says, leaning in and brushing their lips together.

Before their kiss can gain any traction, they hear footsteps behind them and Clint and Marcy emerge, arm-in-arm and smiling awkwardly.

“We didn’t want to interrupt, but I think this is the way to the centre.” Marcy says.

“ _Oh._ ”

“Hah, well, I guess this means we’re going to beat you two!” Patrick says, tugging at David again and leading him forward.

***

After the adventure through the maze and a casual walk through the gardens in the afternoon sunshine, the group head to the small garden café.

They sit around a small iron table outside the café with their drinks and ice creams. Patrick shuffles closer to David as soon as they settle so that their knees brush familiarly.

“So, what’s in the agenda for the rest of the week?” Marcy asks as she bites into her cone.

“Mm,” Patrick responds, shifting to cross his legs and covering his mouth as he swallows some ice cream. “Well, we’ve got the baseball game tomorrow, if that’s still happening?” His parents nod in affirmative and he continues. “Then it’s Joey’s birthday party, and then the reunion on Friday. But we’re all yours for the weekend if you have any plans.”

Joey is Patrick’s cousin’s son, and kind of godson. David had already been warned about everything long before the trip, and, whilst nervous, was prepared for the week’s activities.

“You’ve chosen a busy week to visit!” Marcy exclaims. “You’re setting David a bad example of a normal week here.”

“Well we’ll just have to visit again soon,” Patrick says, smiling at his parents.

“Ooh, you know we’d love that.” Marcy responds.

“Maybe we can come and visit you next time.” Clint responds. “Have a proper look around Schitt’s Creek, and maybe see your new apartment?”

“Ooh, yes, your first place together!”

David widens his eyes and fidgets slightly. “Oh, um, it’s not. We don’t live together.” He says slowly, gesturing between them. “Um, it’s Patrick’s apartment I’m just there a lot. I guess.”

Marcy nods, “Of course dear, that’s what we meant.” She says, but she’s smiling despite herself. “Maybe next time we can spend some more time with your family?”

“Hmm, yes, that is definitely. Something we could, arrange.” David says, wincing and taking a sip through the straw of his fresh lemonade.

“They’d love to see you.” Patrick says, shaking his head and rubbing his boyfriend’s knee with one hand. “We should get together soon, maybe they can come up next time too?”

“Oh, absolutely not, we’re not doing that.” David cuts in. “I wouldn’t subject you to that.” He says as he turns back to Marcy.

“Ooh, they weren’t _that_ bad.” Clint says, chuckling.

The chatter continues in this fashion for a while longer, and David shuffles closer and closer to Patrick.

It’s not that he’s uncomfortable around the Brewers. They’ve been nothing but kind and friendly ever since they found out about their relationship that week in Schitt’s Creek, and even before. But he’s never done this sort of thing before. Nobody has ever stuck around long enough to want to meet the parents, and David is pretty sure that he’s not exactly the dream partner for their son.

The more time he spends with the Brewers, on an ideal family day out, the more he thinks about his own dysfunctional family at home. He can’t even imagine Johnny Rose, in his pin-striped suit, walking through the gardens, or sitting down at an old, rusting café table to drink cheap drinks. Moira would look so out of place in this environment, standing out in all the wrong ways. Maybe Alexis would manage it, but she’d be on her phone the whole time, making digs at David and sighing at every activity.

It all just acts as a reminder of how vastly different he and Patrick are, and dread the fact that even if their relationship works out, their families will never really be tied together the way they are meant to be. They’re just not compatible.

The journey back passes quickly, with David taking over some of the driving in an attempt to hide his sudden mood change.

They have dinner around the table; a slow cooked casserole made by Clint with homemade mashed potatoes and veg, which is delicious and just serves to upset David further. They all turn in early, and head upstairs to their respective rooms.

Patrick and David go about completing their routine in comfortable silence, and settle into the bed, with Patrick remaining on David’s usual side to protect him from the door.

“Are you doing okay?” He whispers, reaching out to stroke a hand over David’s cheek.

David leans into the touch and holds his breath for a moment, making a sad wheezing sound to try and hold in the emotion, before a heaving sob breaks out and he allows himself to be pulled into Patrick’s arms in a tight hug.

He cries for a little while into Patrick’s chest, focusing on the soothing movement of his hands on his back, and in his hair, surrounding himself with his scent and gaining comfort in his physical presence.

When he is finally sure he has a handle over his emotions he shuffles slightly back, sniffing repetitively and wiping his eyes with his sleeves.

“I’m sorry, nothing’s wrong. I- I don’t know what’s wrong--” David mumbles, but Patrick doesn’t let him retreat, following him across the bed to where he had been moving and ghosting a hand over his hip. “I just- My family, they’re so different, we aren’t like this! We don’t have family days out, or compliment each other, I don’t even tell them that I love them most of the time. What’s going to happen when your parents finally realise how awful we are? They’re going to want so much better for you than becoming a part of that mess - I want better for you than that!”

Patrick listens silently, making soothing noises and continuing to touch David all over.

“Okay, I love you David. But I feel like I need to tell you that you’re talking complete rubbish.”

“I--”

“Really. You really don’t need to worry about this. I know that doesn’t really help you much and I know that this isn’t founded on logic, so I won’t try and fix it, but I need you to know that my parents are and have been genuinely excited for this trip, to see you. They enjoyed spending time with your parents at the barbecue, and they wouldn’t say that they wanted to see them again if they didn’t mean it.”

“Hmm,” David responds, shaking his head and putting his face in his hands.

“I need you to trust me, my parents won’t be overwhelmed by your family any more than I am overwhelmed by you. You’re not too much for me, and they won’t be too much for them. Can you believe me about that?”

“I mean, I guess when you put it that way--”

Patrick pulls at his wrist to get a proper view of his face and smiles when he sees the more relaxed look. He kisses the lines next to his eyes softly, brushing his lips across his face to peck David’s cheeks and nose and chin, before finally settling on the lips.

He hums, “I love you, David.”

“I love you too.” David responds softly, “I’m sorry for freaking out. I don’t know what- I don’t know why this suddenly happened today.”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologise.” Patrick replies, pulling back to simply embrace him, lying closely together with their legs entangled underneath the covers. “I’m glad you told me. I want you to tell me when you feel like this, even if you think I don’t want to know.”

“I know, I know, I will.”

They fall asleep like that soon after, David’s breaths evening out first and his muscles relaxing as he slumps into Patrick’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea that the Brewers would react to the Roses the same way Patrick responds to David - they are definitely amused by their antics and affectionate about them. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought!!


	3. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brewers head out for a family day at the baseball game.

The next morning, David wakes up to Patrick peppering kisses across his chest.

“Mm, what did I say about this?” David whines as he cracks his eyes open to look at his boyfriend, but the whine turns into a moan when Patrick skates his nipples lightly with his teeth through the fabric and he realises his body has taken interest whilst he was still asleep.

“I know, sorry, reflex.” Patrick responds, pulling back and looking guilty.

“No, no, wait, come back.” David says, reaching his grabby hands back out and pulling Patrick up to straddle him. “Kiss me.”

They’re both smiling as their lips meet again, but soon enough the kisses turn serious, and Patrick starts grinding his hips down in a circular motion.

“No jerky movements.” David gasps as Patrick moves down to suck on his neck. “You’ll rock the bed and then they will definitely hear us.”

Patrick doesn’t stop the movements, so David takes control, flipping them over and pressing him down into the mattress. He follows the path Patrick had been taking and begins sucking on his neck harshly, biting and nipping and then licking apologetically over the same spot.

Patrick groans loudly causing David to pause nervously, listening for movement from downstairs. Just as he is about to assume that they’ve gotten away with it, and start removing clothes, there’s a knock on the door that brings them both back to reality.

“Patrick, dear.” Marcy says through the door, seeming to try and stay quiet and not wake David, “We’re just putting breakfast on, do you two want anything?”

“Um, we’re good thank you.” Patrick calls back, looking up at David whose hair is flapping into his eyes as he crouches over him.

David burrows his expressive eyebrows at him and nods towards the door.

“Actually mom, we’ll have whatever you’re having.” He says, sighing, and rolling his eyes at his boyfriend’s antics. “We’ll be down in a minute.”

David smiles then and leans down to kiss Patrick more gently. “Thank you,” he says as he rolls off him, dodging Patrick’s outreached arms and walking towards the dresser to pull on a pair of grey sweatpants, energised by the promise of food.

They head down the stairs together after calming themselves down and sit straight down at the table to join the parents.

“Morning, boys.” Clint says, folding up the paper and putting it to one side.

The scene in front of him is something that David had thought only happened in romantic comedies and family films. The circular table is covered in a red and white checked cloth. Four places are set, with coffee steaming where it is sat and a toast rack filled in the centre, surrounded by various accompaniments and a bowl of fruit.

David reaches straight for a piece of toast on the rack, spreading jam over it generously and taking a large bite.

“Mm, so um, what do I need to expect for the baseball today?” He asks, still nervous to initiate conversation but trying to force himself to act more casually around Patrick’s family.

“Oh, it’s not a special game, don’t worry.” Clint says, smiling comfortingly at David.

“Do I have to wear a special, um, costume?”

The Brewers are incredibly polite in hiding their laughter and Marcy shakes her head. “No, dear. Whatever you have packed with you will be just fine. The boys will wear team colours, but I certainly won’t be, and lots of other people won’t either.” She says, looking up from her own food for the first time that morning.

As she looks up, she gapes at her son for a moment, elbowing her husband who frowns at her and finally glances towards Patrick, pulling a similar face. He tries to cover his laugh by shoving a large piece of toast into his mouth, but his eyes stay where they are, looking at Patrick.

David frowns, following their gaze to his boyfriend and widening his eyes as he spots the large mouth-shaped bruise he must have sucked into his neck that morning.

Patrick continues spooning cereal into his mouth, unaware of the attention, whilst David flushes bright red and covers his face with one hand.

Marcy and Clint chuckle at David’s reaction but thankfully don’t mention anything else for the remainder of the meal.

Everyone moves to stand up after they finish, collecting plates and bowls and heading to the door to tidy up the table in a group effort. David tries to contribute but doesn’t know where to start, so ends up hovering his hands over various objects on the table before second-guessing and hesitating.

“You can go up and shower whilst I help clear up.” Patrick says, standing up and taking David’s plate, heading towards the kitchen only to be stopped by David’s arm. “What?”

“Um, I er, I may have gotten a little _overenthusiastic_? This morning?” David says, baring his teeth apologetically as he raises a hand to Patrick’s neck and presses slightly on the bruise.

Patrick’s immediate reaction is to hum softly and lean into the touch, the feeling heading straight to his crotch as David puts pressure on the mark he had left. He soon comes to his senses however and looks up at David, shocked.

“How visible--”

“They’ve already seen it.” David says. “Um, I’m sorry I- I didn’t realise I’d done it. Well, I knew I’d um, done it I just didn’t really register? That it would be so obvious, or that it would show so much? Or who would end up seeing it.”

Patrick raises his hand to his neck, covering David’s, and looks torn for a moment.

He can sense his parents lurking behind the doorway waiting to collect the rest of the dishes, and so decides that he won’t tease David too much about it in the assumption that they can hear their conversation, and are probably eagerly listening in.

He rolls his eyes and leans in to catch David’s worried looking mouth in a gentle kiss, pulling back to rest their foreheads together lightly.

“Stop pulling your worried face.” He murmurs, kissing him again. “It’s fine, I’ll try to cover it, maybe wear something with a high neck, maybe a scarf or something?”

This gets David to laugh, “A scarf? It’s June, that is--”

“Incorrect?” Patrick finishes for him.

“ _Very_ incorrect.” David confirms, nodding and wrapping his arms around his neck.

***

In the end, the stress turns out to be unnecessary. The low-neck of Patrick’s pyjama shirt had made the bruise appear far more obvious than it is under his jersey, and after dabbing some of David’s concealer onto it it’s far less clear.

After changing and getting ready, Patrick reaches out a hand for David to hold, who has been moping around the bedroom all morning.

“Ready to go, babe?” He asks cheerfully.

“Um, yep, let’s--”

“David, relax.” Patrick says, taking a step forward to stop David from passing him. “Stop feeling bad.”

“Ugh, I know I just- I marked you up! Like you were my _property_ or something! In front of your parents! What sort of impression does that make? And now- now you’ve had to paint over your little neck and--”

“David.” Patrick interrupts, crowding him against the door quickly. “Stop, it’s really not the big deal that you think it is. I like having it there. I like knowing that you were there. Maybe we can consider it a promise for what will come later, huh?”

David melts under Patrick’s gaze, and screws his mouth up to hide his smile. “Well, when you put it like that.” He says, as Patrick pulls him in for a hug, kissing his neck lightly as he leans in. “We’re definitely not having sex here now, though.”

***

Baseball must be some form of medieval torture, David decides. He’s surrounded by loud, dirty strangers, sweating and yelling, with no consideration of personal space.

The only thing that makes it bearable is the easy access to grilled food and his boyfriend. He is squished into a seat between Patrick and Marcy, who seems more interested than David in the game, but still far less excited than the two Brewer men. Instead, she spends the majority of the game sharing nacho’s with David and pointing out key players and rules to look out for.

The stadium erupts into cheers as a batter hits the ball out of the field. David startles as Patrick jumps to his feet and Marcy laughs at his expression.

“What- What’s happening?” He says, looking around in fright as he realises that he has jumped to his feet in surprise.

“That was a homerun.” Marcy says fondly, rubbing his arm and pulling him back down to join her back in the seats.

“Does that mean the game’s over?”

“No, no it just means he cleared all the bases.”

“Oh.” David replies, feigning understanding but frowning, nonetheless.

Patrick sits back down as a new batter approaches and leans over to steal a nacho from David.

“How are you getting on, babe? Enjoying yourself?” He asks.

“Um, yes, I. That was a good houserun.” He says slowly, wincing when he realises that he must have said something wrong based on the soft expression on Patrick’s face.

Patrick doesn’t bother to correct him and instead just leans over and kisses his cheek, before turning his full attention back to the game. Marcy tuts fondly and pats his arm again. “You’ll get there.” She says, “I had no idea what I was watching when Clint first started dragging me to these games either. I still don’t a lot of the time.”

“Mm, I think it’s starting to make a bit more sense?” David says hesitantly.

Patrick’s hand lands on his knee and even though his face is trained on the field, David can tell he’s listening in and checking up on David regardless.

The game seems to have slowed down in momentum, and it isn’t long until Patrick has turned back to contribute a little to the conversation. More than Clint at least who hasn’t looked up from the field since they’d arrived.

“You know, David actually played in a game in Schitt’s Creek a little while ago. He was a right fielder.” Patrick says conspiratorially to his Mom, who looks up eagerly.

“Oh, you never told me that David! I assume you became well acquainted with Patrick’s competitive side?”

David blushes as he remembers that evening in much clearer detail, but nods at Marcy smiling conspiratorially, “Oh, yes.” David says, as Patrick exclaims, offended, and frowns at the pair. “That was a lot of fun.”

“I wasn’t as bad as you think.” Patrick whines, pouting slightly. “And David was actually really good. He was our VIP for that match.”

Marcy frowns in confusion for a moment but smiles as she sees David react by scrunching up his face and pouting right back at Patrick who immediately smiles in response, leaning in, and kissing David’s bottom lip teasingly.

“I didn’t ask to play, he basically emotionally manipulated me!” He says, turning back to Marcy who has become distracted by something on the field. The noise of the crowd picks up around them as people start pointing somewhere, and she starts nudging David who turns to try and follow her gaze, finally landing on a large screen on the other side of the field.

On it, he can see his own confused face reflected back in big screen, as well as Patrick’s who hasn’t noticed anything different and is frowning at David who must have accidentally ignored something he’d said. Their faces are encircled by a large red heart with the words _Kiss Cam_ displayed above them.

David turns back and grips Patrick’s arm to draw his attention. Patrick’s face in the screen betrays his shock, and David almost turns and tells him it’s not necessary but as he goes to do so, Patrick places his hands on his face and pulls him in to a passionate kiss.

He pulls back just as Patrick starts skating his tongue along David’s lip and they become at risk of being too graphic in front of the Brewers, but David places one final peck on him as they separate.

He turns back to look at the screen and sees through it the fond look Patrick is giving him when he’s not looking. Suddenly every comment Stevie and Alexis have ever made makes sense as he sees his boyfriend’s eyes widen, and then soften around the edges, as he is looking like he almost audibly sighs at David.

He also catches a glimpse of Marcy and Clint’s reactions before the cameras move. Clint is clapping and smiling brightly from Patrick’s other side, whilst Marcy looks almost on the verge of tears as she looks towards them both, her face flushed and eyes watering.

David blushes, coughing slightly and looking down as he tries to ignore all the attention. Patrick reaches over and clasps their hands together, tugging slightly at his arm to get him to turn to him.

“You know, I think you’re in the run-in to be the VIP of _this_ game as well.” He murmurs softly, although not quietly enough to prevent others from hearing, and Marcy coughs as she looks away from their interaction, pulling David out of his own version of the heart eyes he had turned on his boyfriend.

“I don’t know,” He mumbles, “It’s a tough competition.”

Patrick practically beams, reaching out his other hand to pet at David’s arm slightly as if trying to touch him all over, before turning back to pay attention to the game, his left hand still tightly clenched around David’s right.

***

They arrive back at the house that afternoon and all settle into the living area on the couches. They are white fabric sofa’s, oversized, with scuffed corners and fraying fabric, but they’re comfortable, and David can’t help but sink into the cushions.

Marcy and Clint enter, each holding two cups of herbal tea. Two are placed on the table next to David and Patrick whilst the Brewers settle in with their own.

Patrick and Clint are wrapped up in baseball talk still, so David lets himself close his eyes slightly and lean his head against Patrick’s shoulder for a moment to rest. Due to the stress of the planning and the journeys of the last couple of days, he finds himself bone tired and on the verge of falling asleep.

He’s balancing on the cusp of consciousness when the voices go from a normal volume to a hushed conversation, and David tries very hard to stay awake enough to listen.

“Are you not sleeping well here?” He hears Marcy ask, sounding concerned.

He feels some fingers brushing against his hair and sighs slightly, leaning further into Patrick and snuggling his face into his underarm slightly, his arm tightening around his waist as he breathes in the familiar scent, contently.

“I’m not sure.” Patrick replies quietly, “This- it’s just been a busy couple of days and a lot to take in.”

“Well, I can understand that. I hope we haven’t been too overwhelming for you both.”

“Not at all. David really likes you and you’ve been so wonderful to let us stay here.” Patrick responds, his hand tracing gentle patterns across the back of David’s scalp, “I just, um, he hasn’t done this before, neither of us really have, and it’s just, strange being back here, with him. Better, obviously, but I- I can’t help but feel like I was lying about so much when I was last here.”

“Please don’t think that, Patrick.” Clint says, “What matters is that you’re here now, and that you’re happy. And we’re really excited to get to know David properly.”

“We can tell how important he is to you.”

The hands that are on David’s hair still, and he fights to prevent himself from whining. They’re not gone for long though, and they continue slowly petting him as if seeking comfort as well as providing it.

“I’m glad you see that. I, um, I love him very much.” Patrick murmurs after a little while.

At that point, David must have fully dropped off, as the next thing he feels is Patrick slightly wiggling his shoulder to wake him up, his head having come to rest on his knees, face turned into the softness of Patrick’s lower belly.

“Hello sleepyhead.” He mutters teasingly, pushing David’s fringe back and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Up to bed with you.”

“No,” David whines, closing his eyes tight against the interruption and trying to burrow back into Patrick, whose chest which is moving up and down in amusement. “I’m comfy.”

“Alright,” Patrick says, faking giving in, “If you want my parents to see you first thing in the morning before you get a chance to do your facial cleansers then that’s fine with me. I’ll head up to bed on my own--”

“Don’t leave me.” David interrupts, gripping Patrick’s arms tightly as he shuffles up to move. “Ugh, did your parents see me asleep? Was I really ugly? Did I snore?” He asks, feeling more awake by the minute.

“Yes, they did, no you weren’t, and I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.” Patrick shoots off, pulling David to his feet as he stands up from the couch and hauls him along with him.

David moans and groans quietly as Patrick drags him all the way up the stairs and into bed.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always wanted to write about a kiss cam so I hope people enjoyed - just so everyone is aware I know absolutely nothing about baseball and won't even pretend that I do sorry!


	4. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of Patrick's nephew's birthday, and David meets some more of the family, leading to an important conversation about the future of their relationship.

The Thursday arrives in much the same way as the rest of the week had. David turns over onto one side to find Patrick already awake, with his eyes half open, stroking a pattern along David’s hip.

“Hi,” David mutters, leaning in to kiss his boyfriend fondly, completely ignoring the presence of his morning breath.

“Hello.” Patrick responds, kissing back with equal vigour and continuing the probing movements along David’s side.

David shuffles closer, allowing Patrick’s hand to fall behind him and pressing them chest to chest for a moment.

“What happened to your rule?” Patrick asks teasingly, sounding unsurprised nevertheless as David starts rolling his hips slowly against Patrick through their boxers.

“No vigorous movements.” David mutters in response, biting Patrick’s lip in retaliation and earning a soft groan into his mouth.

“Okay, okay, no vigour, I got it.”

They kiss slowly, David sucks on Patrick’s bottom lip and pushes his tongue into his mouth as his hand travel from his back, down, to cup his ass tightly.

David then tentatively takes a hand to grasp Patrick’s hardening length, stroking it firmly and feeling it twitch under the attention. He smiles into Patrick’s mouth as he moves his wrist slowly, and then with more energy, bringing him to completion quickly.

Patrick doesn’t hesitate to return the favour, and they lie facing each other, chests heaving and smiles not leaving their faces as they recover.

“I would say that was a successful mission.” Patrick says, “Very quiet, no vigour at all, congratulations Agent Rose.”

David rolls his eyes, but his smile betrays his amusement as he pushes at Patrick’s shoulder.

They prepare for the day quickly, taking turns in the shower and arriving downstairs only to be faced with complete chaos.

“Um,” David starts, stopping at the bottom step and causing Patrick to bump into him lightly as he watches Clint running to and from the house to the car with considerable urgency.

“Are you okay, Dad?” Patrick asks as he notices the scene, putting a hand on David’s shoulder to steady himself and peering with interest over his head.

“Oh, there you are boys.” Marcy says, emerging from the kitchen and wiping her hands down her skirt. “Bella called; it turns out the bakery hasn’t delivered the cake for the party. Plus, the magician that they’d booked has had to cancel as his car has broken down and he can’t get here in time. We’ve been called in for re-enforcements so if you’re ready to go then scoot along and get in the car.”

It’s the most authoritative David has ever seen Marcy, and he’s distracted by being impressed by her as Patrick pushes him by the butt towards his parents’ car.

“Don’t forget the present.” David says, as he lets himself be led and stands by the backseat of the car.

Patrick nods and heads to his own trunk to pull out the gift bag before joining David.

“So, Bella is--?”

“My cousin’s wife. Joey’s Mom.” Patrick fills in. “And Richard is my cousin. Joey’s Dad.”

“Okay,” David replies, closing his eyes for a moment and trying to commit the names to memory, his lips tracing the words in concentration as Patrick watches, smiling fondly.

They arrive at the house down the road. It’s similar to the Brewers’, with a large porch area wrapped around the front, and a reaching back yard. There are blue balloons tied to the front of the house and a large rainbow coloured banner reading “ _Happy Birthday Joey"_ in large bubble font.

The boy in question comes running out of the house at break-neck speed as soon as the car is put into park. Patrick jumps out quickly and is there to meet him, picking him up by the underarms and swinging him around gleefully, making him squeal.

He is followed by a little girl, who runs for Clint first. He doesn’t pick her up and instead crouches down so that they are level and responds the hug gently, talking to her quietly and making her smile.

“David, could you give me a hand with this please?” Marcy says from where she is opening the trunk of the car and pulling at a large tin-foil covered plate.

David immediately snaps back into life from where he had been watching Patrick, and picks the plate up carefully, hovering beside Marcy as she grabs a couple more bags and leads him inside the house.

It’s designed in a similar way to Marcy’s house, only bigger, with yellow flowered wall-paper covering the walls. The hallway is lined with balloons and streamers as well, all blue and generally tacky and distasteful, not that David would ever say that in front of Patrick’s family. Maybe to Patrick later. In private.

They enter the kitchen and a petite brunette immediately approaches them.

“You must be David,” she says, taking the plate from his hands and placing it on the counter. “I’m sorry it’s such a disaster in here today, we’ve got all Joey’s friends arriving soon and everything seems to have gone wrong and--”

David turns around for back-up but sees Marcy has left to return to the car, probably to collect more things, leaving him alone with the stressed stranger.

He looks at her cautiously, cringing when he notices she doesn’t look dissimilar from Rachel, who he had only caught a glimpse of at the barbecue so long ago, but tuts pityingly as she complains.

“-- It’s like I can barely get anything done! And then my husband, you haven’t met him, he’s around here somewhere, had to go out and buy all these awful birthday decorations.”

David huffs a laugh at that and immediately feels more at kin with the woman.

“They’re not that bad.” He says awkwardly, looking around. “I think they could be considered quite chic if you put them in context.”

He’s not convincing, but the woman smiles, nonetheless. “You’re nice. I’m sorry, I didn’t even introduce myself, you just caught me in a moment of weakness. I’m Bella.”

“David.” He responds, holding out a hand to shake and smiling.

“It’s good to meet you, I’m glad you’re here. We need as many hands as we can get.” She says. Her attitude changes completely as she looks past David, suddenly forcing herself to brighten up and bend over slightly, “And here comes the birthday boy!” She says to her son, who is leading Patrick into the room by the hand.

David turns around to look at the boy nervously. He has a gap in his mouth from where a tooth has fallen out, but is grinning widely, looking excited. They are followed in by Marcy and Clint who both have arms full of bags, and the girl David had seen later.

“Joey, this is David, he’s Uncle Patrick’s boyfriend.” Bella says, gesturing towards David who immediately shrinks into himself.

“Hello.” The boy says simply. “Do you play baseball?”

“Um, no, I don’t.” David replies, trying to grasp for something else to say. “I know Patrick is very good at it though.”

“That’s good that you’re not good at baseball.” Joey continues, “Because Lana isn’t either and she never wants to play with us so you can stay with her.”

He nods, seeming to have made a decision about at least putting up with David’s presence, and turns back to Patrick.

“Can we play baseball now?” He asks, tugging at Patrick’s hand, who laughs and lets himself be pulled slightly before resisting.

“I think your Mom might need some help with party preparations.” Patrick says, bending down to pick Joey up and throw him over his shoulder. “So, I’m going to put you in the garbage to keep you out the way.”

He bounces up and down, jostling the boy and making him squeal in laughter. David notices the girl, Lana must be her name judging by Joey’s statement, still hiding behind Clint and flinching at the noise.

Patrick and Joey head outside and Bella turns to Marcy.

“Thank you so much for making this at such last minute.” She says, unwrapping the foil from the plate and revealing a white cake with multi-coloured sprinkles. “I thought I was done for sure when I got the call.”

“It was no trouble.” Marcy responds easily, placing the last of the bags on the floor. “I don’t know what we’ll do about the entertainment though. I was thinking maybe musical chairs or musical statues? That’s always easy enough.”

“Hey, David.” Clint says, from one side. “Can you take over with this one whilst I take all this food out to the yard?”

He’s gesturing to Lana, who is chewing the corner of a blanket nervously as she looks up at all the adults. David winces, but then reconsiders, realising it would be better to keep an eye on the quiet, nervous child, than the over-excited messy one.

He nods, and Clint claps him on the back as he heads out of the kitchen. David follows the girl out into the hallway where she sits on the stairs.

“Hello, I’m David.” He says quietly as she looks up at him. “What’s your name?”

She mumbles something incoherently through her mouthful of fabric, but David nods and sits next to her silently, making sure to leave some distance between the two of them.

Contrary to popular knowledge, he is not actually bad with children. He is bad with loud, rude children, who cry and make mess, and dirty up his expensive clothes. Lana, however, is small and blonde, she’s silent as she sits on the stairs dressed in a lace-pink dress and matching slip-on shoes.

He is only sat for a couple of moments when she shuffles towards him and puts a tiny hand on his knee. Taking it as a sign that she accepts his company, he relaxes slightly and talks quietly about her outfit, and her blanket, and about the party.

She doesn’t respond, but also doesn’t make any move to leave, and seems to be paying attention to David with wide, attentive eyes.

“David?” He hears Patrick call from the other room. He smiles apologetically and moves to get up and as he does, Lana’s arm wraps around the back of his leg and she walks with him. He smiles fondly at her and lets her cling to him as he walks slowly towards the voice.

“I’m here, is everything okay?” He asks, as he walks in on Patrick looking around the door to the living area. He stops when he lays eyes on him and smiles.

“Hi, I was just looking for you, the first of the children will be arriving in a minute so--” Patrick pauses as he notices Lana sticking her head out from behind David’s legs, but continues slowly, “um, I figured you’d want to come to the back yard and meet Richard before it gets a little crazy in here.”

David can’t quite work out the look on Patrick’s face but assumes it’s a good one and nods. He almost flinches when he feels Lana move from grasping his leg to his hand, and carefully leads her out with him. Patrick follows, still with his eyes trained on his boyfriend, and they exit the large glass doors at the back of the house.

A long table has been set up along one side, covered in light blue plastic sheets with balloons tied to the corners. It is littered with paper plates and napkins for the various snacks, as well as plastic cups for the jugs of purple and yellow squash.

A man approaches them as they step out, and David widens his eyes as he looks at him. He looks almost exactly like Patrick; although their appearance is different, Patrick is shorter and more muscled than the skinny man in front of him, they have the same hair and eye colour, and they hold themselves in exactly the same way, both confident in their stance but not cocky, and with open, kind looking faces.

“Hi, you must be David, I’ve heard so much about you.” The man says, reaching for a handshake before looking down and seeing Lana has claimed David’s right hand. He retracts the hand and instead nods politely. “I’m Richard, I’m Patrick’s cousin.”

“It’s really nice to meet you.” David says.

“Are you doing okay, banana?” He says softly, crouching down so he’s eye-to-eye with his daughter.

She nods, finally pulling the rag out of her mouth and smiling slightly, which Richard takes as a confirmation.

“Do you want some lemonade?” He asks, and she nods again, letting go of David’s hand to take her Dad’s and following him over to a table, where he picks her up and places her down on a chair.

“That was _amazing._ ” Patrick says, and David jumps as he notices his boyfriend stood close behind him looking at him in shock.

“What was?”

“I have never seen anyone get claimed by Lana so fast. She still won’t stay anywhere near me and I’ve known her since she was born!”

“Hmm, well, that must be your grating personality.” David says, covering for his blush with sarcasm. “You can be a lot.”

Patrick just laughs and wraps his arms around David’s waist, giving him a light kiss on the lips. David is surprised for a moment before he reminds himself that Patrick has shown no issues with public displays of affection throughout their relationship, and lets himself lean into his embrace, savouring the moment.

***

The party picks up momentum quickly after that. The first guests arrive, a flurry of boys running towards Joey who, as it turns out, is extremely social and polite, and makes sure all of his friends are fed and comfortable as they mill around the house and yard. It must be a Brewer trait, David thinks as he watches the small boy offering snacks to the parents as well as the children, with a polite smile.

Patrick is a hit, as expected, with a lot of the young boys, and soon starts a game of catch near the back of the garden near the fence for a group that was interested.

David generally mills around, following Marcy or Clint around like a lost child and dipping in and out of conversations as politely as possible. He is just scouting the snack table for some sausage rolls when Lana finds him again and stands next to him.

“Do you want some food?” He asks as she ducks behind his legs and tucks herself into the gap between him and the table. She shakes her head and looks at the game of catch going on. “Are you sure?” He asks again, following her eyesight and watching Patrick pick up Joey and spin around in circles with him in celebration of something.

David screws his face up and looks back down at the girl. “They’re being very loud aren’t they.”

She nods at this and reaches up to steal a chip from David’s plate.

He makes the decision to fill the plate further, then holds out a hand for her to take and leads her to sit on the back step, where they sit side-by-side again, sharing the food.

“You know, I’ve never been to a party like this.” David says, after a while, careful to keep his voice soft. “My family didn’t really do parties when I was a child, and if they did, they were full of adults and people I didn’t know.”

Lana puts a cocktail sausage in her mouth and chews thoughtfully.

“I was really nervous to come here.” He continues, “Because I thought I wouldn’t fit in, and that nobody would want to talk to me.”

He’s simplifying and exaggerating his anxieties for her, but she looks at him interestedly.

“So, thank you for keeping me company.”

At this, she leans her head against his hip and closes her eyes.

David sits there with her for a long time, slowly losing the feeling in his legs as he watches the party from afar. The game of catch is changed to a game of musical statues, which quickly dissolves into the children just dancing messily and shouting in glee.

He can see Patrick looking around for him but is careful to not jostle the girl next to him, so stays still and waits to be found. When he is, Patrick sits next to him on the step silently and hands him a drink.

Clint notices them and is over a few moments later.

“Hey, Lana.” He says softly. “I think your Mom has some little cupcakes hiding in the kitchen especially for you. You wanna come and find them with me?”

She takes his outstretched hand and skips up and past them into the kitchen.

David turns to Patrick.

“I want one. Can we have one?” He says, pouting slightly and tilting his head in the direction of the retreating figures.

Patrick looks surprised, far more than necessary for the situation, and flushes red. “Oh, I didn’t think that was- I always thought you weren’t interested in that?”

David frowns. “What? What would give you that idea?”

“I don’t know. You just generally didn’t seem like the type to be interested in little ones. I’m not- I don’t want them.”

Patrick looks at him guiltily and seems to be very concerned, which makes David’s frown deepen. “Okay. Um, that’s fine? You don’t have to have--”

“Is that- Is that a big deal for you?” Patrick asks.

David hesitates before replying, confused by the strange tone of the conversation and trying to keep up. “Um, no? I don’t--”

Patrick winces. “Can we have this conversation another time? I need to go and help with the next game.” He says, gesturing back towards the party and getting up quickly, wiping his hands on his legs and walking quickly back towards the group, seeming upset.

David follows him with his eyes and blinks, “What--?” He mutters, standing up to go into the kitchen in the search for the cupcakes.

He finds Clint stood by the counter where Lana has been perched, both taking bites of a cupcake.

“Is there any left for me?” David jokes as he enters, and Clint passes him one, “Thank you.”

“Does Patrick want one?” Clint asks, licking icing off his thumb messily.

“Mm, no he says he doesn’t want any.”

Clint frowns, but shrugs, placing the lid back on the pot and putting them back in a top cupboard, out of reach of anyone else.

“These are really good.” David says as he takes a bite of his cupcake.

“Bella makes them specially for Lana.” Clint responds, smiling cheekily at her and wiping at her mouth with a napkin. “Because she doesn’t like big cakes.”

“Mhm, I agree, cupcakes are definitely superior.” David replies, earning a giggle from Lana, who reaches up for Clint to pick her up and put her back on the ground, and wander back towards the yard.

The two men stay in the kitchen a while longer, Clint cleaning up the counters and David finishing his food.

Clint is the one to break the silence, turning towards David. “You’re really good with her, you know.” He says quietly, as if afraid they are going to be overheard.

“Mm, thank you? I’m not usually very good with kids, but she’s sweet.”

“She doesn’t usually warm to people that quickly. Or at all.” Clint continues. “She um- they took her to the doctors just under a year ago because she’s largely nonverbal, and they found out she’s on the spectrum. She- It’s not that anyone was upset about it, but I think Bella and Richard were scared they wouldn’t be good at looking after her, especially with Joey being so loud and everything.”

“I can see that being difficult. She’s clearly very comfortable with you though.” David says, tentatively.

Clint chuckles, “She likes quiet people, or people with a calm demeanour. It’s why she doesn’t settle around Patrick or Marcy very easily. She’s fine around them she’s just maybe less relaxed than she is with others?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been described as quiet.” David jokes, “Or calm. I’m pretty sure Patrick would tell you the opposite actually.”

“Well, there must be something about you because I’ve never seen her so comfortable around a stranger before.” Clint says, shrugging and rinsing the rag he had been using to wipe the surfaces in the sink.

“That’s nice.” David says, slightly awkwardly, twitching with his sweater and looking around the room.

“Now, let’s go and find out where everyone’s got to.” Clint says, leading them back out to the yard.

***

David doesn’t get a chance to check in with Patrick for the rest of the party. He is constantly distracted by various children wanting to play games or throw a ball around, and David is perfectly comfortable staying around the Brewer adults and sitting quietly with Lana, so they keep missing each other for the next couple of hours.

David watches Patrick across the yard playing with Joey. He’s been so good with the children all day and whilst it makes David feel warm seeing his boyfriend being so paternal and affectionate with his family, it also causes something to tighten in his gut as he considers the implications of it.

He’s never wanted children, in fact, completely the opposite. Whilst he would be the first to admit that he now wants a lot of things he has never considered before; he is also certain that that is one thing that will not change.

He is just mulling the thought over in his head when Marcy comes to stand next to him. The sun has lowered behind the trees and children are leaving in small clusters, with some stragglers hanging around whilst the adults clear the table and start moving things indoors. A few bottles of wine have been opened and glasses have been handed around to the adults to sip on in the early summer evening.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Marcy asks, nudging David lightly with her shoulder.

He jumps slightly but smiles softly back at her. “I don’t think I could put them into words.” He says quietly.

“Hmm, that bad, huh?” She asks.

“Not bad, just not- just a lot.” David tries to explain. “Were you- um, were you excited about the wedding?” He says suddenly, turning to face her fully with a desperate look.

Marcy splutters on her wine slightly in surprise but recovers quickly.

“You mean--?” She gestures at Patrick, and David nods. “Oh, David. Why are you thinking about this now? You know everyone loved you today, you have nothing to worry about with that.”

“No, no, I know, about that. I’m not worried, I guess I’m just, um, curious? About what it was like before?”

She hesitates, reaching out a hand to squeeze David’s arm.

“Um, well. Rachel didn’t actually come to that many of these parties and events. She has a big family of her own and even when she and Patrick weren’t on a break, she didn’t often have time.”

David nods thoughtfully as his eyes continue to follow Patrick, running back and forth in the garden, the game of catch long having dissolved into a game of tag.

“I think- I think a lot of people were excited for the wedding. But it was more for the wedding itself and the chance to see the whole family than anything else. Especially towards the end Patrick got very erratic whenever it was brought up, and lots of people kind of realised something was wrong. He was very defensive whenever it was mentioned, but he didn’t want to talk about it at all. We liked Rachel a lot, we genuinely do, but they were starting to bite at each other. They argued with each other in front of us a couple of times which concerned us a lot.”

She trails off, looking for something else to say.

“I um, I wanted him to get married.” She says sadly. “Because I thought that was what people did to make them happy. That’s what everyone has done, that’s what I did. I- um, I never even considered--”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to--” David interrupts, blushing furiously.

“I know I just, I want you to know that I was never pushing Patrick to date women, and to stay with Rachel because I thought it was the right thing to do. I was doing it because I thought he was unhappy, and in my experience, this is how people stop being unhappy.”

They stand in silence for another moment.

“He could have had this.” Marcy says, gesturing around at the house and the garden. “I- I almost forced him to do this, to get married and have children and settle in a house around the corner. But now- I, I feel sick even at the thought. I hate imagining how miserable he would have been.”

David stays silent, wiping his eyes with the back of his wrist and seeing Marcy doing the same in the corner of his eye.

“I’m sorry, I just. I want you to know that we aren’t just putting up with your presence. I am genuinely happy that he is with you. We all are. I have never in my life seen him act the way he does around anyone else, and I am so glad that we get to see him like this with you. You fit in here.” She cheers up slightly, and pokes him in the arm teasingly, “Even if it’s not what we thought would happen, you have exceeded our expectations by so much, David.”

David sniffles slightly, but smiles. “It’s not what I expected either.”

“I know, dear.”

She reaches an arm up and links it into his, leaning her head against his shoulder lightly.

***

The third time Patrick avoids eye contact with David, and ducks out of the room, he decides it can’t be an accident, and follows him as he heads into the backyard. He catches him scooping rubbish off the table and into a black bin-bag.

The yard is quiet and dark, the sun having finally sunk, and the only light coming from the outdoor bulbs lit up along the fences either side. The sound of crickets is overwhelming, and the evening is cool but not cold, making it a relief from the warm day.

Fortunately, they’re alone, the adults having headed inside to put away the food, pack the car, and put the children to bed. So, David comes up to Patrick’s side and starts filling his own black bag with plastic cups and paper plates.

“Did I, um, do something wrong?” David asks after a few moments, pausing and looking at Patrick cautiously, who immediately drops his tense shoulders and looks guilty.

“No! No, David, of course you didn’t. You’ve been really wonderful today. I wasn’t trying to avoid you, I- I just- What you said earlier, it caught me off-guard and I just, didn’t know how to have this conversation.”

“Hmm, what--”

“But you’re right, we should talk about this. It’s important that we talk about this. I want to work this out with you.”

David hums, waiting for Patrick to continue and racking his brain trying to work out what conversation he is referring to.

“I’m sorry I assumed you didn’t want kids.” Patrick blurts out, “I just, I didn’t- I thought that you weren’t interested. But I understand if you do, and I know this is a deal-breaker for a lot of people but I just, I can’t- I don’t want them and I don’t think that’s gonna change for me at all--”

David opens his mouth to interrupt but Patrick holds out a hand.

“No, let me finish. I’ve been thinking about it a lot this afternoon, and I really don’t want this to be the thing that breaks us up, I don’t want anything to break us up. I don’t really know what the solution to this problem is, but I know that I want to find it with you. But maybe we can have this conversation again a little later down the line and--”

Patrick trails off as David starts giggling, reaching his hands out to clutch Patrick’s sweater and pull him closer.

“Stop--” He says, pressing soft kisses against his lips, “Stop, talking.”

Patrick resists for a moment but soon melts into it, letting David kiss him and wrapping his arms around his waist gently.

They pull away, and Patrick opens his eyes slowly. “As nice as that was, David, I really don’t think it solves anything.”

David just smiles, rolling his eyes. “So, let me get this straight. You don’t want children, am I right?” Patrick nods. “And you think I do, because at some point today we have had a conversation where you have left with the idea that I suddenly want to be a father even though I have spent the whole day actively avoiding all of little people.”

“You didn’t avoid Lana--”

“She doesn’t count, she’s a little _angel_.” David says, holding one hand out. “Can I just ask which conversation it was that made you think I was suddenly desperate for a baby?”

Patrick frowns, looking confused. “We were sat on the steps,” He insists, pointing behind David and back to the house. “And Lana went inside, and you turned to me and you said, ‘I want one’, what was that--”

He pauses as David erupts into laughter again, this time leaning into Patrick’s chest as if to hold himself up.

“What--”

“Patrick! I was saying I wanted a cupcake.” He says, out of breath. “I said I wanted one, and then you said you didn’t want one and then wandered off. So, I headed into the kitchen and I got myself a cupcake.” He says, walking his fingers up Patrick’s shoulder and smiling at hm winningly.

Patrick’s brain seems to take a few moments to buffer, but soon enough he’s smiling softly as well.

“Did you really spend the whole afternoon having a silent crisis over our relationship?” David whispers, gripping at Patrick’s front with scrabbling fingers.

“I- I didn’t- I mean, yeah.” Patrick admits, his hands coming up to hold David’s elbows to support him. “And now I feel bad that it looked like I was saying I wouldn’t go and get you a cupcake.”

David opens his mouth to say something else, probably to tease him, so Patrick takes it upon himself to silence him with a firm kiss. He pulls David closer by the hips and opens his mouth slightly to offer him entrance.

“So just to be clear,” he says, pulling back. “Neither of us want children. Like at all, like ever?”

“No, I don’t, and I don’t think it will ever change.” David confirms, nodding.

Patrick breathes a sigh of relief, and pulls him back with even more energy than before, gripping him tightly so they are pressed together head to toe.

“That,” he says, between kisses, “Is quite possibly the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Wow, we really need to work on our sex-life if that’s the case.” David quips back, giving up on the smiling kisses and instead pulling Patrick in for a tight hug, burying his face in his shoulder. “I love you so much.” He mumbles quietly.

Patrick breaths another laugh, “I love you too.” He replies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really think this is an important conversation that they should have had way before getting engaged so I decided to slip it in. I'm also adamant that Patrick is not only fine with not having children, but genuinely doesn't want them for himself.
> 
> Let me know what you thought!


	5. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick takes David along to his high school reunion, and they have a run in with some people from his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some mention of homophobia in this chapter, it's not explicit but it is implied.

The next morning at breakfast, David notices Patrick being overly affectionate. It starts in the bedroom, which is nothing unusual, but it’s not until Patrick moves his chair considerably closer to David at the table so that he can sit with his arm around him that he really gets concerned.

Marcy looks up at Patrick strangely, but doesn’t comment, and Clint doesn’t bat an eye, but David’s suspicions grow as Patrick’s hand strokes patterns into his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” He asks when they take a seat in the living area on the couch, intending on taking a well-deserved break from the hectic visit until the afternoon, when they were due to go to the high-school reunion they had been invited to.

“Hmm? Yeah, sure, why? Are you?” Patrick asks, looking up at David with concern even though he is the one that is practically sat in his boyfriend’s lap.

“Well, yeah I was just- You’re being very affectionate I just wanted to check in.”

Patrick blushes as he takes a second look down at their positions and goes to shuffle away, but David stops him, placing a firm hand on his knee which is slung over David’s legs, and hooking an arm around his waist.

“I didn’t say to stop!” David exclaims, tugging him back into his previous position and putting on a fake strain.

“Okay, David.” Patrick says, chuckling but staying where he is.

“Are you nervous about tonight?” David asks softly.

“Um, I think maybe I am. You know, it’ll be the first time I’ll see Rachel since the whole barbecue incident so I’m a little afraid of that. Plus, even though all my friends that I’ve told have been super supportive about my coming out, I’m just not sure how it’ll play out. Part of me is scared they’ll treat me differently, and the other part is terrified that they’ll treat me the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just- I don’t want them to think I’m any different as a person to who I was before. But I also want them to recognise that my life has changed, and that I’m also simultaneously not the same person they saw when I was here before. Does that make any sense?”

“Mhm, I think I understand.” David says slowly, rubbing a hand on Patrick’s knee and leaning in to kiss his neck softly.

He pulls back but Patrick pulls back at him. “I didn’t say to stop.” He teases as he grabs David by the back of the head and leads him back as he tips his own head back for better access.

David doesn’t get to do any more than smile into his neck before Marcy and Clint walk in carrying cups of tea and coffee.

“Alright boys, no funny business.” Clint says light-heartedly, placing the mugs next to David, who blushes but smiles, and taking his own seat.

***

They spend the day lazing around the house with the Brewers. They watch daytime television and read their books. David gets a proper tour of the house and is taken on a walk around the block so that Patrick can show him all the important spots from his childhood.

At around four that afternoon they start preparing for the reunion. Patrick changes his t-shirt into a more formal darker blue shirt and some jeans, but also slips on his date jacket and spends a lot longer on his hair that usual.

David gains a lot of excitement as he watches his boyfriend prepare. He is already mainly dressed, but he changes his _Wild Aloof Rebel_ sweatshirt for his All Saints Breton Crew sweater, with the black stripes on the white fluffy fabric, and the same pair of black jeans torn at the knee.

Patrick watches him change and frowns, pausing where he has been fluffing up, then flattening his hair in the mirror for the last ten minutes. “I thought you were going to wear the Alexander McQueen sweater?” He asks, straightening up and looking at him thoughtfully.

David winces as if he’s been caught and shakes his head nonchalantly. “It’s very sexy that you’ve been learning the designers of all my sweaters.” He says, smiling predatorially back at him before continuing. “But I brought options with me, just to um, see how I felt.” He replies, waving a hand around as he checks his own hair in the mirror.

“Why do you not feel like Alexander McQueen?”

“Um, I don’t know, this one is softer and less, um, eye-catching.” He mumbles the last part, looking down at his outfit nervously.

“But I like it when you’re eye-catching.”

“I know you do. I just, this isn’t an event where I should be drawing attention.”

Patrick is usually very good at toeing the line between upsetting David and reassuring him, so knows where to stop, but he is still looking at the sweater sadly.

“Do you think I should change?” David asks as the silent stretches.

“No, no I don’t.” Patrick says, reaching out to pull David closer and wrap his arms around his shoulders, taking time to appreciate the admittedly soft touch of the fabric. “I love this sweater. I guess it just means that I won’t be able to keep my hands off you all night.”

“Hmm, does that really depend on the sweater or is that just an--”

Patrick cuts him off with a kiss and then steps away and looks into the mirror at their reflections side-by-side.

Marcy knocks quietly and sticks her head around the door. “Sorry to interrupt,” She says, taking in the view of them and smiling. “Don’t you both look lovely! Now, are you sure you don’t want a lift to the venue? Clint really doesn’t mind and--”

“It’s okay Mom, we’ll take the car and then we can control when we leave.” Patrick says, “Thank you for the offer though.”

“That’s okay dear, are we all ready? The event starts in ten minutes.”

They follow her out the room and down the stairs, Patrick explaining the importance of not being early to her but it’s clear that she’s not listening as she bustles them out the door with exclamations about rudeness and making a good impression.

Patrick sighs as he climbs into the driver’s seat and reaches out a hand to clasp David’s hand.

“How are you feeling?” David asks, quietly, squeezing his knuckles tightly and pulling it closer to his lap.

“I’m good, I’m just glad you’re here, and that I’m not doing this on my own.” Patrick admits, looking embarrassed by the admission. “I don’t even know what it will be like, I think that’s what’s making me so stressed. I have no idea whether everything will be the same or everything will be different, and I really haven’t kept up with many people, so I don’t know if they’ll be married or having kids or still in education, I feel so out of it.”

“Well,” David replies slowly, tugging at him. “If you need anything, anything at all - to leave early, or to stay longer, or for me to make myself scarce, or for me to not leave your side, I’ll do it. I’m easy.”

“Thank you, David.” He replies, eyes softening again, “The same applies to you though. You’ll let me know if you need anything at all?”

“I will, I promise.” David says.

They kiss quickly, aware that Patrick’s parents are probably looking out the windows by now wondering what they’re doing still there, and Patrick puts the car into reverse.

***

The reunion is being held at a hotel nearly half an hour away, so as to accommodate those that had long left the town and moved elsewhere. They pull up to find the carpark already bustling with people and filled to the brim with cars and trucks.

“Wow, so you had um, a lot of classmates then?” David asks, looking around.

“Mhm, I think this might be three different year groups tonight though.” Patrick replies, looking quite pale himself and chewing his lip nervously.

David waits for him to make the first move, which he does after a couple of minutes, and they get out of the car. Patrick waits on his side for David to join him and they head in together, hand-in-hand.

They wander in, Patrick scanning the crowd for familiar faces but clinging desperately to David’s hand. It doesn’t take long for a group over by the bar to notice them, and a pink-haired woman with a buzz-cut and tattoo’s up both arms runs over, throwing herself at Patrick. She is wearing a colourful tank-top so as to better show off the artwork, and tight leather pants which remind David of a pair he has at home.

He looks down and regrets his own choice of outfit as she approaches.

“Hi!” She says, clinging to him as he returns the embrace with equal excitement, “Oh my _God!_ Hi, you never come to these things! They’re so awful without you!” She pauses as she notices David over Patrick’s shoulder and pulls back. “Who is this?”

“Um, Eleanor, this is David. He’s my um, my boyfriend.” Patrick stutters, immediately flushing red and twitching nervously.

Eleanor gapes at David, her mouth wide open in shock as she takes in his appearance.

“I- I never knew--” She says, looking at Patrick with something like guilt.

“Yeah, um, me neither.” He replies, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um, surprise, I guess?”

She punches him on the arm in a way David assumes is supportive, and then turns to face him.

“It’s so great to meet you, David.” She says, reaching out to shake his hand politely which he appreciates. “My name is Eleanor; I was in the theatre group with Patrick.”

David can’t help but smile brightly. “The theatre group?” He asks, looking at Patrick with intrigue evident on his face. “What did you perform, Shakespeare? Or more modern stuff? Were there tights?”

“So many tights.” Eleanor confirms just as Patrick replies, “Easy, David.”

“We’ll have to whip out some pictures for you, David.” Eleanor says, taking his arm and leading him towards the bar. “Now, we’ll have to introduce you to the rest of the group. Not everyone has arrived yet, but most people will be here soon. Some of them are right weirdos that I’m regretting keeping in touch with but most of them are pretty alright. They’ll be so excited to see Patrick again; he’s basically fallen off the face of the earth the last few years.”

Patrick follows, nodding at David who leans back to look at him, concerned.

They arrive at the bar where a group of five are stood waiting for drinks and chatting casually. They perk up as Patrick approaches, two of them seeming more familiar with him than the others, a lanky man with long dreadlocks and a blonde, long-haired woman with freckles on her face.

They introduce themselves. The man is called Cedric, and the woman Sofia, and they were both in the acting group as well. Their partners are also introduced but whilst David is intent on making every attempt to be polite and open with Patrick’s friends, he is also his mother’s son. So many names are passed around that he struggles to keep up and instead trusts that Patrick will jump in if he embarrasses himself.

They move to settle around a high table in the centre of the room, every so often interrupted by a friend or acquaintance stopping to say hi to someone at the table.

Patrick seems to be having fun, and David settles comfortably into the group, so different to what he had been expecting from Patrick’s friends.

“You know, Patrick wasn’t even really in our friendship group at school.” Eleanor says after a while, shoulder to shoulder with her girlfriend who is comparatively plain; her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders and jeans and t-shirt preventing her from standing out. “He was a bit of a floater.”

“Um, a floater?” David asks, pulling a disgusted face and making her laugh.

“He had a lot of friends, he kind of floated between groups. But his main friendship group was in the baseball team with him. Is that right?”

Patrick nods, pulling a face and inching his arm closer to David who returns the gesture discreetly.

“Mhm. I guess.”

“Have you kept up with any of them since--” she trails off as her girlfriend elbows her and frowns. “Sorry, you don’t have to talk about it.”

“No, no, it’s okay.” Patrick says, immediately going to reassure her. “Um, I haven’t really spoken to many of them since Rachel and I broke up for the last time and I moved to Schitt’s Creek. We’ve sent the odd birthday message but nothing more than that.”

“Did you hear about Mac?” Sofia asks, leaning across the table conspiratorially. “You know Madison, from the cheerleading squad?”

“Yeah, they got married, didn’t they?”

“Yeah, well she got pregnant last year, and then she caught him cheating on her.”

“No way!”

“That’s awful.” Patrick says, wincing and rubbing a hand across his face.

“You were pretty close with him in high school, weren’t you Patrick?” Cedric asks, taking a drink of his beer and reaching an arm around the back of his girlfriend’s seat.

“Um, yeah, I guess you could say that.”

Patrick’s shoulders tense and he takes a large gulp of his vodka and soda. David watches, frowning, and rubs a hand up and down his back comfortingly.

“Come on, we don’t have to talk about this now.” Eleanor chides, “I want to hear about this!” She says, gesturing between David and Patrick, “How was your gay awakening, Patrick?”

Patrick snorts, which David is relieved by because he had been gearing up to go into full protective mode. Instead, he just smiles as his boyfriend blushes.

“Um, I had some idea of it when I left home. But I thought maybe it was like, more of a hypothetical thing, and because I hadn’t met anyone that I was interested in I thought maybe I was reading too much into it. But then I, uh, I met David--”

“How did you meet?” Sofia asks, clapping excitedly and completely invested already.

“I was uh, I was just starting a business and I had to get some forms from a guy called Ray, who Patrick was working for.” David says, stepping in. “And he gave me some business advice and then he came into the store one day and said he wanted to invest and become a partner.”

“I think you’re skipping a bit of the story, David.” Patrick says, laughing into his drink.

“Mm, am I?”

“Yep, he’s skipping the bit where he called me the same day we met, high, and left me nine voicemails to try and impress me.”

“Um, I think I was trying to make sure you knew that I had a proper business plan actually. You were very snippy when we met, and I wanted you to know that I knew what I was doing.” David replies, turning to him and pointing his finger, which Patrick just grabs and uses to tangle their hands together.

“Oh really? Well clearly I made an impression because he was very, er, flustered, in the messages.”

“That’s sweet.” Eleanor says, sounding genuine for the first time that evening, and reminding David of Stevie in the way she used a sarcastic tone of voice to express emotion.

“Is David the only guy you’ve been interested in then?” Cedric asks.

“Well, um, no, I guess not.” Patrick replies, blushing. “But he was the only one that interested me enough for me to pursue him. Honestly, I probably would have been too scared to try if he hadn’t left those voicemails, so that weed was a blessing in disguise really.”

David looks over at him fondly as he says that and squeezes his hand a little tighter. He excuses himself to get another round of drinks, buying another vodka soda for Patrick and a plan soda for himself, before turning back to the table.

As he returns, he notices a new group has approached the table. He gathers that they are old sports friend based on the rowdy group and the fact that most of them look like they’ve broken their noses in the past.

As soon as he sits down, he notices the tense atmosphere at the table. Eleanor is sat with her head jutted up defensively, but she is also clutching to her girlfriend’s arm. Patrick is looking nervous and jittering his fingers, but he thanks David for the drink and takes a large gulp of it.

“Who’s this?” The man talking to Patrick asks, watching David join the table. He’s tall, stocky, and looks similar to Jake, if Jake were blonde and worked as a lawyer.

“Um, this is David. My boyfriend.” Patrick says politely.

“Huh.”

“It’s uh, it’s nice to meet you.” David says, trying to fill the silence.

“So, this is why you broke up with my cousin, Rachel, then? I’d heard rumours but I didn’t know what to believe.”

“Um, yeah, but I spoke to her- she, she knows.” Patrick responds, still not making eye contact with the man.

“Hm, you never seemed the type, Brewer.” The man says, looking him up and down as if searching for signs that shout _Gay_ in his outfit. “I’m disappointed I’m not gonna lie.”

The whole table seems to tense up at the same time, and David watches Patrick’s expression cautiously.

It goes from shock, to anger, settling on something even David can’t quite decipher.

“Believe it or not, I’m not looking for your approval.” Patrick replies, tipping his head up and finally making eye contact with the man.

The man just chuckles and slaps his shoulder harder than necessary before making his leave.

“I suppose your boyfriend hasn’t stolen your balls yet then.” He says, pulling a face at the word boyfriend as if tasting something bad with his tongue, before turning to leave. “Always good to talk, Brewer.”

He disappears into the crowd, but before anyone can speak, Rachel pops up out of the blue and heads straight for Patrick.

“Hey, are you okay?” She asks, standing between him and David and looking concerned. David jumps as she places a hand on his arm, and he realises the question was aimed at the both of them.

“We’re all good here, Rach.” Eleanor says, reaching across the table to take Patrick’s hand, who is staring at his drink miserably.

“Ignore everything Alex says, he’s an idiot.” She says quietly, turning to Patrick. “He’s overly defensive for no reason and he’s always been a jerk. I promise I didn’t tell him anything.”

Patrick smiles at her, but David can tell that it’s forced, and shakes his head. “It’s alright Rachel it’s not your fault. Are you- are you okay?”

Rachel looks sufficiently relieved, and nods. “I left my boyfriend with my friends so I should probably go and save him.” She says, pointing behind her, “But can we catch up before you leave?”

“Sure.”

She gives him one final look before turning her back and heading to the table she had gestured to.

Patrick takes a deep breath and downs the rest of his drink.

“Um, I think I need another one.” He says, “David, do you want to--”

David nods and stands up as Patrick gestures towards the bar, smiling apologetically at the table and following his boyfriend through the crowds. He doesn’t stop at the bar, and instead continues walking out the back door to the patio area, which smells strongly of smoke but is cooler than inside, and emptier. David follows him as he leans up against the wall and takes large gulps of air.

He is just opening his mouth to talk when Patrick throws himself at him, crowding him against the wall as he cups his face and claims his mouth with his tongue. The kiss is messy and desperate, not dissimilar to those from the early stages of their relationship, when Patrick seemed to think he had something to prove in every touch.

David returns the kiss with equal vigour, allowing his boyfriend to take what he needs and offering more.

It’s Patrick who pulls away in the end, looking embarrassed but sedated slightly as his breaths return to normal. He doesn’t step away from David, and instead leans in to bury his head in his shoulder.

“Are you--”

“This is going to sound ridiculous.” Patrick says, muffled by David’s sweater. “But I just needed to remind myself that I’m not- that I’m not at high school anymore.”

“Was it always like that?”

“No, no I was, I was popular, I guess. Nobody was ever, he- we were friends in high school.” Patrick stutters, leaning back slightly but still chest-to-chest with David. “But I- I just remember how scared I was, how I felt so afraid that everyone would find out that I was a fraud. That they only liked me because I was in a certain group, or played a certain sport, or because I was dating Rachel. I was so exhausted of pretending all the time, and I didn’t even know I was doing it.”

“That makes sense.” David says, rubbing his hands up and down Patrick’s arms as if to heat him up, despite the warm evening.

“I’m sorry for throwing myself on you like that.” He says, sounding more normal.

“Hey, I didn’t say I was complaining, did I?”

Patrick just smirks and kisses him again, closed-mouthed this time, and more tender.

“Did you need a couple more minutes?” He asks, when they pull back, gesturing to the door to their right and furrowing his eyebrows at Patrick, who kisses each of them in turn.

“No, I’m good, I’m enjoying myself.” Patrick insists, “Are you--?”

“I like your theatre friends, and Eleanor said she would show me pictures of you in _Much Ado About Nothing_ , so I am very much okay with staying.”

Patrick rolls his eyes but leads him back in to re-join the group.

***

Patrick cheers up from that point on. The group trades stories and memories, Eleanor finally pulls out the performance pictures, and more drinks are bought. David holds back, wary of getting drunk and silently deciding to take the role of designated driver so that Patrick can enjoy himself.

The music changes and people flood to the dancefloor, but before Patrick can turn to David and invite him to dance, Rachel appears.

“Hi.” She shouts over the noise. “Can we catch up?”

Patrick looks at David regretfully.

“It’s okay, go!” He shouts, “I’m gonna go and dance with Eleanor. Come and find me.”

He leaves with a kiss to Patrick’s cheek and a smile, heading straight over to the dance floor, where Eleanor and Sofia are jumping up and down to the Carly Rae Jepson song. They open up and link David in, who turns to make sure he can keep an eye on Patrick, but joins in the messy dance, laughing at Patrick’s friends as they push and pull at each other’s arms playfully.

He feels a tap on his shoulder and is expecting to see Patrick but turns around to come face-to-face with the guy from earlier, Alex.

“Oh, um, hi?” He says, feeling the girls next to him tighten their grip on his arm nervously, as if prepared to pull him away at a moment’s notice.

He immediately notices that Alex is drunk, he’s waving around on his feet and his face is flushed. He starts poking David in the chest aggressively, slurring his words as he shouts about something.

David tries to placate him, unable to work out what he’s saying over the noise and leaning in slightly to try and hear him, at the same time trying to keep his distance from the man and keep his sweater out of harm’s way.

He sees the fist flailing in front of him, Alex clearly clumsily gesturing about something, before he feels the impact on his face, and by reflex holds a hand up to his left cheek.

It all happens at once from that point on.

Suddenly, Alex lunges at him full-bodily. David flinches, and steps back, avoiding being pushed to the ground just as Patrick comes out of nowhere and pushes the man away, stepping forward to lead him back from David. Alex resists, and puts both hands-on Patrick’s shoulders to push him back.

Patrick looks like he’s going to respond but is held back by Cedric and his girlfriend who are talking to him calmingly, whilst several men David doesn’t know hold back Alex. There’s a lot of shouting and confusion, and the next time David blinks, he opens his eyes to see the security guard leading Alex out by the arms.

The crowds disperse, by force, and Eleanor leads David away from the dancefloor, her hands still gripped to his arm, and places him on a seat at a low table.

“David, David- are you okay?” Eleanor asks, “Can you get him some water?”

A glass is pushed into his hands and he takes a sip, the pain blossoming in his face as he focuses.

“How are you doing?” Eleanor asks, as his eyes clear and he comes into focus. “You aren’t bleeding.” She says, reading his mind, “It looks like it might bruise a bit, but I don’t think he was actually trying to hit you it seemed like he was just drunk and--”

“Um, where’s Patrick?” David asks, looking around just as Patrick arrives, crouching on the floor in front of him and taking the glass from him.

“Can you get him another?” He asks, turning to Eleanor and passing the glass to her before cupping David’s face and leaning it up slightly. “Does it hurt?” He asks, applying light pressure to his cheek bone.

David winces, “When you press it like that it does.” He responds, willing the tears that well up at the pain to go away. “I don’t know what happened, I um, I was just dancing.”

“I know,” Patrick responds, standing and pulling David into him so his face is squished against the buttons of his shirt, over his stomach. He strokes a hand through David’s hair until he’s calmed down, and then returns to kneeling.

“Did I--?”

“No, no you didn’t do anything David.”

“Did you--?”

Patrick pulls a face, and turns to Eleanor, who sits in the chair next to David and hands him the fresh water.

“Alex has always been like that.” She says, “His wife just left him and he’s lost all contact with his daughter. I don’t think this has anything to do with you, from what I could hear he was just talking about himself when he came up to you. I think it was just a case of wrong place wrong time and you got caught in the cross-fire.”

“Oh.” David sighs, shoulders slumping. Patrick strokes his hands up his chest to rub at his shoulders, then trails them back down to his hips and thighs, then back up. David isn’t sure if he’s trying to sooth David or calm himself down, but the repetitive motion keeps him grounded.

“Um, Alex has gone. Are you okay, David?” Rachel asks, arriving and looking guiltily at him. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know why he- I haven’t seen him in years.”

“Um, yeah, I’m fine.” He replies, he watches as her eyes take in the bruise on his face and smiles, “It doesn’t even hurt, it’s fine.”

“I’m so sorry that happened, I don’t know what came over him. But um, I didn’t, I’m not--” She trails off, looking awkward.

“Hey, Rach.” Eleanor says, leading her away by the shoulders. “Come and dance with us.”

She winks at David as Rachel gives in and lets herself be dragged away, looking back over at the pair regretfully.

The dancing has carried on around them, and David gestures for Patrick to stand up.

“Do you need to--” he asks, nodding towards Rachel and indicating that they might need to talk.

“Oh, no, it’s okay we spoke already. We’re never going to be normal again but I think we can make a shot at being friends.” Patrick responds, looking surprised. “Do you want to go home? I could probably drive--”

“Okay, that is definitely not happening tonight. I’ve not had anything to drink, I’m not unconscious, there’s no lasting damage, I’ll be driving.”

Patrick nods, smirking at him as David takes charge.

“And before we go, I want to dance with my boyfriend.” He hesitates, screwing his lips up in a smile as he looks at Patrick. “If that’s alright with you of course?”

Patrick just grins, leading him by the hands to the dancefloor.

***

It’s late when David and Patrick arrive back at the Brewer house. David pulls into the drive carefully and puts the car in park.

He turns his head to see Patrick already looking at him.

“What--”

“I love you David.” Patrick says, shaking his head and staring at him in awe.

“What’s brought that on.” David deflects awkwardly.

“I’m sorry about what happened tonight. I shouldn’t have left your side. You- you could have been badly hurt; he could have broken your nose!”

David shudders at that thought but shakes his head. “Patrick, things like that happen. You heard what Eleanor said, the whole thing had a lot more to do with him than it did about us, I’m not scared, and I’m not upset, it could have happened anywhere.”

“I just- I just feel so safe around you. I don’t want you to feel like you’re not safe when you come here next time.”

David just smiles. “There’s nowhere I feel safer than when I’m with you, Patrick. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

Patrick looks on the verge of tears as David takes his hand and kisses it gently.

“I feel the same about you, you do know that, right?”

“I love you too, by the way.”

This gets him to smile, and David carefully detaches their hands so that they can head into the house together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult one to write and plan; I don't usually write homophobia, I agree with Dan Levy about not giving a voice to it but obviously this is different because it's fanfic and isn't broadcast to families. 
> 
> Even so, I kept it minimal. I think Alex was just a miserable old man and he decided to take it out on Patrick and David, and it was probably founded more in his own life than it was about Patrick being gay.
> 
> Also, I had to throw in some hurt/comfort because Patrick is definitely an overprotective boyfriend, that's the tea.


	6. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Patrick spend the day with his parents, and David gets a chance to see healthy family dynamics in person.

The next morning, David wakes up in a cocoon of warmth. He opens his eyes to see Patrick’s face in front of him, smiling brightly at him.

“There you are, good morning.” He says, stroking a hand over David’s cheek. “Anyone would think that you’re the hungover one.”

“I’m recovering from a very traumatic event.” David grumbles, digging his head back into the pillow and breathing in the smell of Patrick.

“I’m sorry, how is your face feeling?” Patrick says, pouting at him in jest and laughing when David just pokes at his face moodily in response. “Do you need me to kiss it better?”

“Mhm, I think that’s for the best.” David replies, shaking his head as Patrick leans in to kiss him.

“Right, well, now that’s done.” Patrick says, pulling back only to be tugged back in.

“I didn’t say to stop.” David says against his lips.

Patrick just chuckles, leaning into the kiss for a moment before pulling back to press his lips down David’s chin to his chest, and down his chest to his hips. He tugs off David’s boxers under the comforter and opens his mouth to suck him into his mouth.

David makes a gasping noise, and tangles his fingers into Patrick’s hair, tugging slightly as he bobs his head agonisingly slowly.

He moans, tipping his head back, as Patrick makes quick work, the duvet moving with his head almost comedically as he takes David to completion.

Patrick jerks his hand frantically on himself, groaning and laying down against David’s chest.

There’s silence for a moment, before David breaks it. “That was a lot of rapid movements.” He says quietly.

“Mhm, yeah, that was _not_ quiet.” Patrick replies, nodding. “I mean, if the damage is already done though, we could always shower together?”

David gapes at him, scandalised. “Absolutely not! And you’d better hope your parents didn’t hear any of that. I might never be able to see them again!”

Patrick just laughs, climbing out of the bed and towards the dresser. “That’s fine then, I’m going first.”

He winks at David as he exits the room, and a few moments later he can hear the shower starting down the hall.

***

They arrive rather hesitantly down the stairs for breakfast and find Marcy in the kitchen.

“Oh, good morning boys.” She says politely from where she is picking up two mugs of tea and heading out the room. She’s slightly red and won’t look at them directly, which makes David elbow Patrick’s arm sharply and pull a face. “We didn’t think you’d be up for a while after your late-night last night, so we’ve already eaten. But do help yourself!”

“Thank you, Mom.” Patrick says, smiling despite himself and heading to the kettle to make drinks.

Marcy is just passing David when she stops, looking surprised. “David, what happened to your face?” She asks, looking at him with concern and putting the mugs down to take his chin in her hand and tilt it towards the light.

David looks surprised, but lets her do it, “Um, there was a little scuffle last night. It was nothing big.” He says awkwardly.

She tuts, frowning at him. “Who did it?”

“Um, I think his name was Alex?”

Marcy frowns even deeper, petting his face lightly before letting him go. “I never liked that boy. He was always so brass I couldn’t stand it. Do you need any painkillers or anything?”

“Um, no, thank you though Mrs Brew- Marcy. It doesn’t even hurt; it’ll be gone in a few days.”

She looks satisfied, and turns back to her drinks, exiting the room with one more concerned glance. David can hear her telling Clint that they’re up and talking about the bruise.

“The walls really are paper thin here.” David says, turning back to Patrick who places a mug of coffee in front of him.

Patrick hums, looking amused but not embarrassed, and taking a sip of his drink before turning back to him. “There’s food for breakfast here, but maybe we could hang off for a bit and I could take you for brunch at the café around the corner?” He asks, leaning into David’s side.

“Sure,” David says smiling and leaning in for a kiss.

They jump apart unnecessarily when the door opens and Clint and Marcy re-enter, making them look far more suspicious than necessary.

“I’m gonna take David out for breakfast if that’s alright with you?” Patrick asks his parents.

“That’s fine with me dear, don’t fill yourselves up too much though, I’m roasting a chicken for dinner.”

“Sure, Mom. When we’re back did you still want some help with the lawns?” Patrick asks, directing the question to his Dad.

“If you don’t mind, champ. The fence at the back is also broken so it might be a good opportunity to get it fixed whilst you’re here.”

“Of course. We’ll go get ready to go now and we’ll be back in a couple hours, how’s that?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Marcy and Clint watch as Patrick leads David up the stairs by the hips, pushing him teasingly and following behind him. They smile at each other as they watch her son’s easy affection for his boyfriend in a way they have never experienced before, and smirk as they remember the noises that they had unfortunately heard that morning. Marcy rolls her eyes but laughs fondly, embarrassed to have heard her son in the moment, but glad that to have some re-assurance that Patrick is content in his relationship.

The pair dress in silence, trading soft looks. Patrick in his usual blue button up and jeans, and David in the Alexander McQueen palsy sweater he had foregone the night before.

David is just putting concealer over his bruise when Patrick comes up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“You’re gorgeous.” He murmurs, placing a kiss in the hair above David’s hair.

David blushes, shaking his head, but he’s smiling regardless as his fingers glide over his face slowly, making sure the mark is covered to the best of his ability.

“You ready to go?” Patrick asks.

“Mhm, let’s go.”

***

Patrick takes him downtown. It’s a short walk past similar houses, but it’s worth it for the look that David gets on his face as he looks around the neighbourhood.

“Was it always like this?” David asks, looking at everything individually; the trees, the pavement, the benches, the houses. He watches as a door opens across the street and a man and woman emerge, with a small blonde child hanging onto each of their hands. They walk the opposite direction, but David turns his head to watch as they pick him up and swing him forward, all three of them laughing.

“What do you mean?” Patrick asks, pulling him closer by the hand and following his gaze.

David turns forward again as he almost trips on an uneven part of the pavement. “Was it always so nice, here? Like, when you grew up.”

Patrick nods, feeling guilty for a moment until David turns to smile at him.

“I like thinking of you here. I never, um, I didn’t really think places like this existed. I thought they were only for films, like _Freaky Friday_ , and _10 Things I Hate About You,_ with the white picket fences and families all together and everything.”

“I don’t think the houses here are as nice as they are in those films, David.” Patrick replies, shaking his head and chuckling.

“No, I know, I just- My whole life. I never pictured being somewhere like this. I never pictured wanting this.”

Patrick immediately softens, “And is this? Something you want?” He asks tentatively, watching David’s face carefully to determine his reaction.

“Well, maybe not here.” David explains, “But, um, I like the houses, and the gardens.”

“I didn’t peg you for a gardener.”

“Oh, absolutely not. I would watch you do it, though.”

Patrick pauses, and watches as David’s face settles into a wince, once again realising he’s said too much and revealed too much about his feelings about their relationship.

“Oh, so I’m there?” Patrick says, beaming, “In this little fantasy of yours.”

“I didn’t say it was a fantasy.” David says, squirming as Patrick reaches up to kiss him on the cheek, landing on the chin and neck more than anything as they try to continue walking. “It was just, like, a thought, a curiosity.” But he’s smiling too now as they reach the town.

They sit in a corner table when they reach the café. It’s a warm space, with wooden tables and counters and a warm aesthetic that David can appreciate despite the ugly coloured couches and armchairs littered around. In the corner there is a small platform which he looks at suspiciously as Patrick goes to the counter to order for them.

He comes back to the table with a tray of drinks and two plates with pastries, putting them carefully down.

“Patrick,” David starts, looking up to see him already smiling proudly. “Did you bring me to the place where you used to have Open Mic Nights?”

He nods guiltily but is still beaming at him. “There weren’t many options, David, this is the only good café in town.” He explains.

David rolls his eyes but lets it go as he devours an apple pastry, crumbs flaking around his mouth and falling to the plate. Patrick watches with delight, eating his own carefully and slowly, and leaning over to peck the mess from David’s lips when they’re both finished.

David can’t help but look around to check that nobody is watching and is pleasantly surprised when he finds that the people here have the same reaction that the villagers of Schitt’s Creek do, disinterested acceptance and self-absorption in their own coffee and conversation.

Patrick is watching him carefully though and smiles as his eyes return to him.

“What are you smiling at?” David asks.

The smile falters for only a moment, and Patrick looks slightly bashful. “Um, I was just thinking. I’m glad you’re here.”

“That’s very sweet but--”

“I just mean, um, that it’s nice to be here, with you. I came to this café so many times when I lived here. This was like, the number one date spot in high school. It’s just, it feels really good to be able to bring my boyfriend here and go on a date with a guy that I love and feel no confusion at all. It feels, um, momentous, in a way.”

“Oh, so this is a date then?” David teases, making sure to lessen the tension and give Patrick room to breathe.

“Well, you did dress up for it.” Patrick replies, “And I paid, didn’t I.”

“You did, you did.” David says, nodding and leaning in to kiss him again quickly before sitting back in his seat. “I feel you’re the hot, boy on the baseball team. And I’m the plain, unassuming girl he falls in love with.”

This earns a full-bodied laugh, and David watches as Patrick throws his head back slightly and his eyes crinkle around the edges. “David, I adore you, but absolutely nothing about you is unassuming.”

***

On arriving back at the house, Patrick is immediately stolen back to the yard with his Dad to mow the laws. David is stood in the kitchen watching him push the machine back and forth, sweat visible on his blue t-shirt, and wiping his forehead with his arm, when Marcy coughs from behind him.

“David, sweetheart?”

He jumps, clearly having been caught checking out her son, and smiles shyly at her.

“Hi,” He says softly, turning around and leaning his back against the counter.

Marcy says, smiling knowingly at him. “I was just about to start work on an apple pie, you wouldn’t want to help, would you?”

“Oh, yeah of course I’d love that.” David hesitates before admitting, “I haven’t, um, I’ve never really baked anything before though.”

If Marcy is surprised by this, she doesn’t let it show, and just nods at him, pulling out a cookbook and collecting ingredients.

She peels the apples, passing them to David to chop them up into chunks as shown. He does a good job of it, getting overly concerned about them being exactly the same size, when the knife slips and nicks his thumb slightly. It blooms with blood and he looks at it surprised.

“Um, Marcy.” He mumbles, paling at the sight of the blood.

She turns around and spots it, immediately turning on her maternal tone and leading him over to the sink. She wets a paper towel and presses it onto the wound, clucking at him comfortingly and stroking his arm with the other hand.

“Do you need to sit down, love?” She asks, as he sways slightly on his feet.

“Um, I’m okay, I just- I’m not the biggest fan of blood.” David responds, leaning onto the counter for support and closing his eyes for a moment.

She pulls the towel away and looks at it disapprovingly. “It’s not deep, it’ll heal on its own.” She says, dabbing at it a couple more times before moving away to collect a plaster.

Patrick chooses this moment to appear at the back door, sweaty and red in the face but smiling brightly. He pauses as he looks at David, frowning for a moment before noticing the hand that’s stuck out.

“Oh, David.” He says, looking worried, “What happened, are you- are you okay?” He rushes over and holds David’s wrist up to look at the wound closer.

“It’s fine, it’s just small.” David says, smiling despite himself as Patrick looks up at him, pouting.

“You keep getting injured this week.” Patrick says, looking genuinely concerned despite his teasing tone. “I’m going to end up having a heart attack if you keep worrying me like this.” He jokes, but it falls flat as he wraps his arms around David’s shoulders.

“You’re all sweaty.” David whine in response, but returns the hug, hooking his head over his boyfriends’ shoulder and smiling softly as Marcy re-emerges from the kitchen door, holding a plaster aloft in success.

“Patrick, don’t crowd him, I need to put this on.” She admonishes, batting him away lightly. She takes David by the wrist and holds his hand gently as she wraps the plaster tightly around his thumb, looking at it for a moment before deciding she’s satisfied, and moving to the bin to clear up the wrappings. “Now, how’s that?”

“That’s good, thank you.” David replies, looking at her with curiosity. “I’m sorry for--”

“Accidents happen, David, no need to apologise.” She says, smiling at him and shaking her head in a way similar to Patrick when he is teasing him.

Patrick watches them, leaning against the counter next to David and resting his head on his shoulder from behind. He kisses David’s cheek, satisfied that he is okay, and nods towards the door.

“We’re just gonna start on the fence.” He says to his Mom.

“Okay, my dear, make sure your Dad puts it the right way around this time.” She says, as she passes him.

Patrick winks at David as he ducks out of the door and disappears back into the yard. David just smiles. There were times when that wink used to be done to get a rise out of David, or as part of a joke. Now, it has just become another silent way for them to communicate, and David just smirks in return.

David looks out of the window as Patrick retreats up the path, smiling fondly, before turning back to the apples.

***

That evening, they sit down for dinner. Whilst David had been excited to help with the baking, he had gracefully stepped down from the preparation for the main meal, instead opting to sit in the kitchen with Marcy and regale stories of red-carpet events, and celebrities he had met in his past, and what they were really like.

Despite only spending the afternoon away from Patrick, and even then, he was able to spot him from the window if he really wished, he was comforted by his presence back in the house that evening, after sending him for a shower of course. They sit next to each other at dinner, sharing smiling glances and knocking shoulders.

“What time are you heading off tomorrow, boys?” Clint asks, digging into his potatoes with glee only matched by David.

“Early, we think.” Patrick replies, looking away from David and towards his parents. “We don’t want to get stuck in traffic, so we’ll probably leave around ten.”

David pulls a face, which makes Patrick laugh.

“It’s okay baby, I’ll drive the first shift.” He says dotingly.

David looks surprised at the term of endearment but shakes it off quickly. “Yeah, you will.” He says, unable to keep the fondness from his expression as he is distracted from his food.

Marcy notices the exchange and smiles at them both. “It’s been so good to have you here.” She says, a tinge of sadness in her voice as she takes them in, “My two boys, I hope you won’t disappear after this visit.”

“Not at all, Mom. We’ll be back soon enough, and you said you wanted to come down again to Schitt’s Creek. We can have a proper week there soon.”

“Of course, I know, I just, we don’t want to miss anything else.”

Patrick looks at her sympathetically, “I know, but it’s not like that anymore. We- I will keep in touch properly this time, like we have been recently. I won’t let it happen again.”

She nods, satisfied, and turns back to her dinner.

The air is charged with something that David can’t quite identify. His gaze travels from Patrick to his parents, and back again. They are all tense, and David thinks back on the conversation, trying to work out where the awkwardness stems from.

He’s still deep in thought as the meal finishes.

“David?” Patrick says, assumingly having repeated it several times waiting for a response and looking at him with concern. “Are you okay?”

He shakes his head, freeing himself from his thoughts, and smiles at Patrick.

“Yeah, yes- I think I’m just tired.” He says, “I think I might turn in early, get some rest before tomorrow.”

“O-Okay, do you want me to--”

“No--” David says, cutting him off and placing a hand on his chest to anchor him in for a light kiss. “No, honey, you spend some time with your parents. I’ll probably go straight to sleep anyway.”

Patrick looks uncertain, but not willing to push it, and pulls David in for a final kiss before watching him trail up the stairs slowly.

He purses his lips and follows his parents into the living room, sitting on the couch and turning to them with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you about something--"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marcy is obviously super maternal even though David is followed by disaster this week.
> 
> Only one chapter left! I hope you enjoyed this and let me know in the comments!


	7. Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Patrick head home from the Brewers for some well-earned rest time.

When David awakes the next morning, it’s to an empty bed, and a cold patch where Patrick should be. He reaches for his phone to check the time and pouts as he sees it’s only four in the morning, before groaning as he rolls out of the bed.

He slips down the stairs and heads towards the kitchen to find the light on behind the door. When he pokes his head through, he sees Patrick sat at the breakfast table, hands cupped around a cup of tea and a tense look on his face.

“Hi,” He says, drawing Patrick’s attention up from his drink and stepping in.

Patrick looks surprised and apologetic as David approaches the table, but he shifts his leg to accommodate him as he settles lightly onto his boyfriend’s lap. 

“Hi, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Patrick mutters as he wraps his arms around David’s waist tightly, hooking his face over his shoulder and nosing at his ear affectionately.

“It’s alright, you didn’t, I just don’t like sleeping without you.” David responds, eyes already closing as he rests his head against Patrick’s sleepily. “What’s gotten you thinking so hard at this time of morning?”

“Mm, I don’t- um, I just, I have a lot to think about.”

“Will you tell me about it?”

Patrick hesitates, he opens his mouth as if to respond but comes up with nothing and instead shakes his head sadly. “I will, uh, I do want to talk to you about it. But maybe when we get home? We can take Monday off from the store, maybe go on a picnic?”

David nods; sleep still trapping him and stopping him from pressing the topic further. “Okay, well if that’s the case, maybe we can take this back to bed? We have a long journey back in the morning and I don’t intend on doing any of the driving, so you need to be well rested.”

He stands up and leads Patrick by the hand back up the stairs. He’s still looking worried, but he curls into David as the settle back into the bed, tucking his head under his chin and sighing gently. 

*** 

By the morning, Patrick’s mood seems to have dissipated and he is chipper and friendly in front of his parents. They sit down to breakfast as they have for the rest of the week, tucking into fresh pancakes that Clint has made and chatting easily. 

Marcy and Clint keep glancing at the pair out of the corner of their eyes, making David suspicious, but he chalks it up to the face that they are nervous about their son leaving, and tries to ignore it. 

“Don’t think that we’ll be passing up that offer to visit your apartment at home, dear.” Marcy says, cutting up her food and looking up at him happily, “Especially not now that we’ll have something to celebrate.”

“Mom!” Patrick admonishes, looking at David nervously and shaking his head.

“To celebrate?” David asks, “What do we have to celebrate?”

“Oh, um, I was, uh, thinking about auditioning for the musical when we get back.” Patrick replies. “Thought I’d branch out my performing skills a little bit.”

“That sounds great, honey.” David says, smiling at him supportively and reaching out a hand to squeeze his arm.

“Can we get you more of anything, David? Juice perhaps, or some fruit?” Marcy asks, standing up and moving towards the kitchen regardless, smiling to herself. 

“Oh, um, I’m okay--” David says, watching her go with some confusion. “Have I, um, done something?” He mumbles to Patrick under his breath as Clint follows her out. “Because they are acting very strange this morning. Is this because of the apple pie or--”

“What? No, no, David, nothing’s wrong. They’re just, um, excited to come and visit us again. In the future, or something.”

“Okay, so now you are also acting very strange. Are you sure nothing is wrong?”

Patrick hesitates before responding, reaching out to clasp a hand around David’s and tangle their fingers together. “David, you have nothing to worry about, really. I don’t know why they’re acting strange.”

David purses his lips and lifts a finger accusingly. “Okay, but you are also- you are also acting strange, why are you--”

He is cut off by Patrick kissing him firmly on the lips. “Stop catastrophising.” He says, “Everything is fine, I need you to trust me on this, can you do that?”

“Okay- okay, that’s fine, I just--”

He kisses him again, leaving him smiling and flushed, before turning back to his plate.

“Now, you should eat up, we’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”

*** 

Packing the car is easy enough, with Patrick doing most of the heavy lifting whilst David sits and chats with his parents and helps to clear the kitchen. 

“Don’t work too hard, David.” Patrick teases, as he places the large silver case at the floor of the stairs and straightens up to stretch his back. “Wouldn’t want you wearing yourself out.”

“Mm, why would I lift a finger when I’ve got these two, big, strong, arms just waiting to do it for me.” He replies easily, gripping the top of Patrick’s arms and wiggling him back and forth, and earning a fond smirk in response.

“Well, when you say it like that.” Patrick says, blinking slowly as he leans in for a kiss, just to dip away at the last minute, “These big strong arms should really get back to work if we want to hit the road in time.”

David scowls as his boyfriend scoots away, and dodges the embrace, reaching back for the case and heaving it out of the door. 

He turns around to see Marcy in the doorway, watching the interaction with interest and smiling at him fondly. 

“Are you all sorted?” She asks when she spots him looking, “Ready to head back home?”

“Mhm, I think so, I think that was the last case to go in the car.”

“You must be excited to get back, it’s been a busy week for you here!” Marcy says, following him out to the front porch and watching Patrick and Clint struggling with the case.

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to get back to my own bed. Well, um I guess it’s, uh, Patrick’s bed. Or my um, my own bed at the motel--”

“David, David shh,” Marcy says, laughing and rubbing his arm soothingly. “So, have you got any big plans for after you get back? Or is it straight back to work for you two?”

“Um, yes, actually, now that you mention it. Patrick mentioned that he wanted to take me on a picnic when we get back. I thought we would open the store on Monday since we took the week off, but he said that we should stick to normal opening times when we get back, and since we usually take Monday’s off, he said he had a plan for us.”

Marcy seems overly excited at the prospect, and beams at him. “That’s very exciting!” She says, “And you’ll call us when you get back?”

“Oh, um, sure. Of course.” He says, a little awkwardly, leaning down to accept a side-hug which turns into a full one as she tightens her arms and pulls him even further down. David sighs into it, relaxing more and letting out some of the tension in his shoulders.

“It’s been so lovely to have you here, David.” She says, pulling away and placing a gentle hand on his cheek.

“It’s been lovely to see you too, Marcy.” David responds, blinking back the tears as he looks at her fondly.

“You ready to go, babe?” Patrick asks, approaching the pair slowly and wrapping a loose hand around David’s waist. 

“Mhm, sure, let’s go.” David replies, wiping clumsily at his face and heading down the steps to meet Clint, who already has his arms out for a bear hug, which David is surprised by but is quick to accept, relishing in the warmth of the embrace that is so like his sons. 

“Don’t be a stranger.” Clint says softly, clapping his shoulder as they pull out.

David just nods, tears welling in his eyes again as he turns around to see Patrick hugging his Mom tightly. 

They climb into the car, both brimming with tears, and Patrick chuckles as he plugs his phone in and sighs shakily. David winds down his window and waves to the Brewers stood at the top of the drive, waving sadly. 

“Let us know how it goes!” Marcy says as Patrick puts the car in reverse and shakes his head at her out of the window, chuckling, nevertheless. 

They wave out the windows until the house is out of sight, and they are officially on the road back to Schitt’s Creek.

*** 

The journey is long, and by the time they arrive back at the apartment, David and Patrick are exhausted. Despite claiming that he wouldn’t, David ends up driving most of the way after the first stop, taking over from Patrick who seems nervous and can’t stop tapping his fingers against the wheel in an annoying pattern.

They pull the cases up the three flights of stairs, and finally push their way through the front door in a heap. 

“Ugh, I could sleep forever.” David says, shoving his case towards the bed and flopping down onto it. He groans as Patrick follows, landing on top of him in a tangle of limbs and a heavy weight, but returns his embrace fiercely. 

“Mm, me too.”

They lie there for a while, breathing slowly and enjoying the comforts of their own home, before Patrick climbs up, reaching for his phone.

“I’ll order us some pizza.” He says, shifting to sit next to David on the bed, his legs still across his lap as he taps away at it. 

“Mhm, I should go and unpack. I don’t want my sweaters getting folds in them or dust from the case fabric.” David says, standing and lugging the cases onto the bed with some difficulty. 

He opens Patrick’s first, placing his dirty clothes bag in the laundry hamper for later, and hanging his spare clothes in the small closet by the door. 

He turns back to the case and unzips the small compartment, surprised when a long thin box slips out and into his hand. He frowns at it for a moment before clipping it open to reveal four thick golden bands, similar to the silver ones on his right hand, laid out in front of him.

“Um, what’s this?” He asks, heartbeat increasing as he turns around to spot Patrick stood on his side of the bed, watching him with horror evident on his face.

“I- uh, um. That’s not, you don’t, that’s not, anything.” Patrick stutters, face flushing red and his hands shaking dramatically as he approaches the foot of the bed, hand out and reaching for the rings.

David dodges his advances, raising the box into the air to hold them out of Patrick’s reaching and staring at him in shock.

“No, no, tell me what they are!” He insists.

“I- I- It’s pretty obvious really David, are you really going to make me say it?”

“No! No, it’s not obvious. Why do you have these, these rings in your suitcase?” David continues, his voice getting higher and higher in pitch as he scrambles across the bed, still reaching the rings away from Patrick’s reach. 

Patrick sighs, sitting down on the bed with his back to David and his face in his hands. “This wasn’t meant to go like this.” He says wretchedly, “I had a whole, a whole plan for this conversation.”

David can feel the tears tracking down his face as he stands apart from Patrick, looking at him accusatorily, almost angry in his expression. 

“Patrick, are- are these for me?” He asks softly, opening the box to get another look, and letting a sob out as he stares at the rings.

“I- Of course they’re for you, David. I- who else- I just--”

“Why, what are you doing buying me jewellery. Usually you’re the one saying I shouldn’t be spending money so that we could save for something, although you never tell me what that is.”

“It’s for this!” Patrick exclaims, standing up and turning towards David, “It’s for this- It’s so that I could- so that if you said yes, then--”

He trails off, looking wretched, with tear trails of his own tracing down his face. 

“Say yes to what, Patrick?”

“I- I, um--”

Patrick hesitates, clearly afraid of the answer and wholly unprepared for this conversation. David softens, however, and approaches him quickly, leading him by the hands to sit on the bed beside him.

“Please just ask me, I’m too scared to assume--”

“I want to marry you, David.” Patrick chokes out, and a fresh wave of tears wells in David’s eyes as he leans his head back in an attempt to quell them, stroking the corner of the box still in his hands as he does so. “Will you- will you marry me?”

David takes a deep breath before nodding and reaching over to almost place himself in his boyfriends- his fiancés, lap, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and letting the tears fall onto Patrick’s shoulder which he digs his face into.

“Mhm, yes, it’s a yes.” 

Patrick’s sobs turn to thick laughs then, as he returns the hug by raising his hands to David’s waist and pulling him closer. He does so with so much momentum that he ends up flat on his back with David straddling him, but they’re pressed chest-to-chest, and the weight of David above him makes it all worth it.

David gasps in a breath as he lays on top of him, pressing kisses into his neck, and across his shoulders as they lie, laughing and crying together.

“Is this, um, is this what your Mom was talking about this morning?” He asks as he regains control of his emotions, leaning up on one elbow to catch Patrick’s eye.

“They almost ruined it.” Patrick responds, “I know my parents, and they are not good actors. I should never have even told them.”

David just breaths out a laugh as he lowers himself back to kiss Patrick softly.

“No, I’m glad you did, I’m glad they know.” He says quietly. 

“Are you gonna- do you want to put the rings on?” Patrick says hesitantly, reaching out to take the box from David and hold his hand, waiting for approval before slipping them out. He gasps, with emotion welling over as he pushes the rings down David’s fingers, past his knuckles, and kisses each one singularly as they settle. 

Both of them let another wave of emotion come out as they lean in for a passionate kiss. 

“I love you so much.” David says softly.

“I love you,” Patrick responds. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than with you.”

David sniffs resolutely, moving to sit up and pull Patrick up with him. “We need to call your parents.” He says suddenly, making Patrick laugh in surprise.

“Really? That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”

“They told us to keep them updated.” He says, “and I said we would.”

He pushes Patrick up, who nods fondly, moving into position as David reaches for his phone, clicking on Marcy’s contact and pressing video call, adamant never to let the Brewers feel left out again, and excited to tell his future-parents-in-law the news first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has read and commented on this! I really wanted to finish the trilogy and I hope you've enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I love comments and kudos.
> 
> Chat with me on tumblr @justwaiting23 !


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